Properties of electrospun CdS and CdSe filled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibres

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2010.12.022· OSTI ID:22210027

Mthethwa, T. P. ^[1]; De Vries, A.; Matabola, K. P. ^[2]

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1. University of Johannesburg, Department of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028 (South Africa)
2. CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, 4 Gomery avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000 (South Africa)

Graphical abstract: SEM images of CdS/PMMA showing coiling as loading of CdS nanoparticles is increased. Thermal stability is increased with increase in %loading of both CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Research highlights: {yields} TOPO-capped CdS and HDA-capped CdSe nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized. {yields} The nanoparticles were mixed with the polymer, PMMA using electrospinning technique using 2, 5 and 10% weight loadings. {yields} The mixture was spun to produce fibres with optical and thermal properties showing significant change and also the increase in loading causing bending or spiraling. {yields} Both TEM images for nanoparticles and SEM for fibres shows the morphology and sizes of the particles. -- Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to fabricate poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibres incorporating CdS and CdSe quantum dots (nanoparticles). Different nanoparticle loadings (2, 5 and 10 wt% with respect to PMMA) were used and the effect of the quantum dots on the properties of the fibres was studied. The optical properties of the hybrid composite fibres were investigated by photoluminescence and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectrophotometry were also used to investigate the morphology and structure of the fibres. The optical studies showed that the size-tunable optical properties can be achieved in the polymer fibres by addition of quantum dots. SEM images showed that the morphologies of the fibres were dependent on the added amounts of quantum dots. A spiral type of morphology was observed with an increase in the concentration of CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Less beaded structures and bigger diameter fibres were obtained at higher quantum dot concentrations. X-ray diffractometry detected the amorphous peaks of the polymer and even after the quantum dots were added and the FTIR analysis shows that there was no considerable interaction between the quantum dots and the polymer fibres at low concentration of quantum dots however at higher concentrations some interactions were observed which shows that QDs were present on the surfaces of the fibres.

• OSTI ID: 22210027
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 46, Issue 4; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CADMIUM SELENIDES
CADMIUM SULFIDES
FIBERS
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
INFRARED SPECTRA
METHACRYLIC ACID ESTERS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PMMA
QUANTUM DOTS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SURFACES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION