Thin film fabricated from solution-dispersible porous hyperbranched conjugated polymer nanoparticles without surfactants

Abstract

Porous hyperbranched conjugated polymer nanoparticles with an average particle size of 20–60 nm and a specific surface area of 225 m² g⁻¹ have been prepared through Suzuki polymerization in a miniemulsion, which could be stably dispersed in common organic solvents after complete removal of surfactants. Furthermore, a simple spin-coating method for the preparation of homogeneous transparent thin films of the nanoparticle has been developed. Bright blue emission of the porous nanoparticle films could be reversibly quenched by nitroaromatics with enhanced sensitivity compared to dense films of the linear conjugated polymer analogue.