The fabrication of periodic polymer/silver nanoparticle structures:in situreduction of silver nanoparticles from precursor spatially distributed in polymer using holographic exposure

Abstract

A new approach to producing volume periodic polymer-metal nanoparticle structures is presented. Periodic distribution of Ag nanoparticles in a polymer film can be obtained by applying the holographic patterning in the UV or visible spectral range to the composite material comprising photocurable monomers, photoinitiators and a solution of silver nitrate in acetonitrile. Photopolymerization of the composite in the interference pattern provides formation of a highly efficient volume grating composed of periodic polymer regions and Ag precursor-containing regions. Subsequent homogeneous UV irradiation and/or thermo-treatment of the grating causes reduction of silver ions to Ag nanoparticles in the areas of the film containing the metal precursor. Spectroscopic measurements confirm the formation of the nanoparticles in the gratings. Transmission electron microscopy showed a regular spatial distribution of well-defined Ag nanoparticles in a polymer film with a periodicity governed by the geometry of holographic structuring. The average diameter of nanoparticles can be controlled by the wavelength and intensity of holographic exposure as well as the composite formulation. A possible mechanism of silver nanoparticle formation by free radicals as reducing agents is presented.

Effects of ZnO quantum dots on the photostability of acrylate photopolymers used as recording materials

“…However, in order to develop photosensitive materials with advanced performance (higher ∆n), the research was oriented towards phototopolymers doped with dispersed nanoparticles during the last decades. Scientists displayed lots of imagination in investigating this approach; thus TiO 2 [3][4][5][6], SiO 2 [6][7][8][9][10], ZrO 2 [6,[11][12][13], ZrO 2 :Eu 3+ [14], LaPO 4 :Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ [15], LaPO 4 :Tb 3+ nanorods [16], silver [17,18] and gold nanoparticles [19], CdSe [20], CdSe/ZnS [21,22] and ZnO quantum dots (QDs) [23] were used more or less successfully. During the course of the recording process, nanoparticles were forced to diffuse away from the constructive to the destructive interference regions of the interference pattern [7,11,[15][16][17][18][19]21,24].…”

Volume Holography: Novel Materials, Methods and Applications

“…To achieve contrast in electron microscopy, conductive species are necessarily required. This is the case where nanoparticles are incorporated [33,34]. Thus, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to evaluate the degree of nanoparticle assembly [33,35].…”

Imaging of Volume Phase Gratings in a Photosensitive Polymer, Recorded in Transmission and Reflection Geometry

“…The reason for this is that agglomeration of the contrast media along the grating planes, e.g., by means of diffusion, is prerequisite to achieve the desired effect, which cannot be ensured. But to achieve contrast in electron microscopy, conductive species are necessarily required, such as in the case of incorporated nanoparticles [14,16]. As a consequence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to evaluate the degree of nanoparticle assembly [11,14,17].…”