Water-soluble organic polymer/silica composite nanofilms with improved fluorescence quantum yield
Abstract
Two-dimensional photoluminescent materials have promising applications in optoelectronics, biosensors, and functional inks. However, it remains a big challenge for fabrication of water-soluble photoluminescent nanofilms with relative quantum yield higher than 50%. In this contribution, we report on facile fabrication of water-soluble organic polymer/silica composite nanofilms with relative quantum yield higher than 70%, through surface modification of organic polymer nanofilms with only a trace amount of organosilanes. The photoluminescence intensity, photostability, and quantum yield of the composite nanofilms are improved compared with individual organic polymer nanofilms. The type of organosilanes has minor effect on the enhanced optical properties of organic polymer nanofilms. The enhanced optical properties of the composite nanofilms are attributed to the strong interactions between silica and organic polymer components, based on theoretical calculations and instrumental analysis. The aqueous solution of composite nanofilms can be applied as cultivation medium for the growth of mung bean sprouts and as a fluorescent indicator for imaging the sprout tissue in vivo.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Luminescence
- Pub Date:
- July 2019
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.jlumin.2019.03.066
- Bibcode:
- 2019JLum..211..347F
- Keywords:
-
- Organic polymer/silica nanofilms;
- Photoluminescence;
- High quantum yield;
- Organism tissue imaging