Synthesis of poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-(glycidyl methacrylate) block copolymer and its compatibilization at the interface of the QD/epoxy nanocomposite for white LED encapsulation

Abstract

A facile approach for synthesizing a transparent luminescent quantum dot (QD)/epoxy nanocomposite has been presented by introducing a poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-(glycidyl methacrylate) block copolymer as a compatibilizer at the interface between the QD and epoxy matrix. The poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-(glycidyl methacrylate) block copolymer denoted as poly(BMA-b-GMA) was successfully synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. Then it was designed to solve the problem of polar mismatch at the nanocomposite interface because the butyl could assemble with the oleic acid ligand on the QDs and glycidyl could match with the epoxy matrix respectively. Thus the formed compatible QD/epoxy nanocomposite interface directly avoided aggregation of QDs, and eventually increased the transparency and luminescence of the nanocomposite. The as-prepared highly transparent and luminescent QD/epoxy nanocomposite had potential for white LED encapsulation.