Photoluminescent electrospun polymeric nanofibers incorporating germanium nanocrystals

The photoluminescent germanium nanocrystals (Ge-NCs) were successfully incorporated into electrospun polymeric nanofiber matrix in order to develop photoluminescent nanofibrous composite web. In the first step, the synthesis of Ge-NCs was achieved by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of bulk germaniu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reactive & functional polymers 2013-09, Vol.73 (9), p.1262-1267
Main Authors: Ortaç, Bülend, Kayaci, Fatma, Vural, Hüseyin A., Deniz, Ali E., Uyar, Tamer
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Composites
Electrospinning
Exact sciences and technology
Forms of application and semi-finished materials
Germanium nanocrystals
Nanocomposites
Nanocrystals
Nanofiber
Nanofibers
Nanomaterials
Nanostructure
Optical properties
Photoluminescence
Polymer industry, paints, wood
Polymers
Polyvinyl alcohols
Quantum confinement
Technology of polymers
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Summary:The photoluminescent germanium nanocrystals (Ge-NCs) were successfully incorporated into electrospun polymeric nanofiber matrix in order to develop photoluminescent nanofibrous composite web. In the first step, the synthesis of Ge-NCs was achieved by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of bulk germanium wafer immersed in organic liquid. The size, the structural and the chemical characteristics of Ge-NCs investigated by TEM, XPS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the Ge-NCs were highly pure and highly crystalline having spherical shape within 3–20nm particle size distribution. In the second step, Ge-NCs were mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer solution, and then, Ge-NC/PVA nanofibers were obtained via electrospinning technique. The electrospinning of Ge-NCs/PVA nanoweb composite structure was successful and bead-free Ge-NCs/PVA nanofibers having average fiber diameter of 185±40nm were obtained. The STEM analysis of the electrospun Ge-NCs/PVA nanofibers elucidated that the Ge-NCs were distributed homogeneously in the polymeric nanofiber matrix. The UV–Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy studies indicated the quantum confinement effect of Ge-NCs on the optical properties of the electrospun Ge-NCs/PVA nanoweb.
ISSN:1381-5148
DOI:10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2013.06.007