Effect of core-shell heterostructure on the optical and electrochemical properties for poly(p-phenylenevinylene) wrapped multi-walled carbon nanotubes

摘要

The transportation and collection of charges in a disordered nanoscale blend could be hindered by phase boundaries and discontinuities in blends of conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes. A novel core-shell heterostructure was fabricated by in situ polymerization of poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) precursor in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with less defect under ultrasonic irradiation. Runs under magnetic stirring were also carried out in a same reaction flask for comparison. TEM images further showed that core-shell heterostructures consisting of carbon nanotube core and PPV shell were successively fabricated under continuous ultrasonic irradiation. Blue shifts in the optical spectra consisting of the UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra with the attraction of PPV on the surface of the MWCNTs were observed. The evident quenching in photoluminescence spectra was ascribed to the absorption and transfer of recombination energy by MWCNTs. The enhancement in the electrochemical properties can be attributed to the intrinsic nanophase separation in core-shell heterostructures and the combination of two materials with different electronic properties.