Formation and Properties of a Hybrid Organosilica with a p-Phenylene Vinylene Polymer Partially Grafted to the Walls

Abstract

The present manuscript reports a mesoporous organosilica (mpSiO2) containing a p-phenylene vinylene (PPV) co-polymer partially grafted to the walls of the hybrid material (PPV${ \subset }$mpSiO2). This material was obtained by using a bis-silylated 2,5-bis(chloromethylphenylene) as the silicon precursor in combination with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) as the surfactant. The final polymer was formed by adding appropriate amounts of 2,2-{[2,5-bis(chloromethyl)-1,4-phenylene]bis(oxy)}diethanol as the co-monomer and KtBuO as the base. The resulting PPV${ \subset }$mpSiO2 was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR spectroscopy, and magic angle spinning 29Si NMR spectroscopy; all spectroscopic data were in agreement with the presence of a conducting polymer. The resulting PPV${ \subset }$mpSiO2 material exhibits electrical conductivity, particularly after I2 doping, an electrochemical response, and electroluminescence. Laser flash photolysis studies of PPV${ \subset }$mpSiO2 indicate that this material can form PPV.+ polarons that could be responsible for the electrochemical and electroluminescent response.