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Optical and micro‐analytical study of a copper–conjugated polymer composite
Author(s) -
Mallick Kaushik,
Witcomb Mike J.,
Scurrell Mike S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.200622617
Subject(s) - polymer , copper , raman spectroscopy , materials science , nanoparticle , composite number , polymerization , chemical engineering , conjugated system , transmission electron microscopy , oxidizing agent , polymer chemistry , fiber , nanotechnology , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , optics , physics , engineering
An oriented morphology of a conjugated polymer has been synthesized by using cupric sulfate as the oxidizing agent. A one pot, in‐situ chemical synthesis approach has been utilized in which cupric sulfate is reduced during the polymerization process and forms copper nanoparticles, which are evenly dispersed in the polymer fiber. The elemental identity of the nanoparticles was determined by means of EDX analyses and EELS mapping for the copper using analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM images at higher magnifications showed that the copper particles were highly dispersed throughout the polymer matrix. Optical properties of the polymer were studied by UV–vis, Infrared and Raman spectra analysis and provided information regarding the chemical structure of the polymer. A brief mechanistic approach regarding the formation of the fiber‐like metal‐polymer composite material is given. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)