Pendant group orientation of poly(2-vinylnaphthalene) thin film surface studied by near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (ARUPS)

Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure studies of electrospun poly(dimethylsiloxane)/poly(methyl methacrylate)/multiwall carbon nanotube composites

This work describes the near conduction band edge structure of electrospun mats of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-polydimethylsiloxane-poly(methyl methacrylate) by near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Effects of adding nanofillers of different sizes were addressed. Despite observed morphological variations and inhomogeneous carbon nanotube distribution, spun mats appeared homogeneous under NEXAFS analysis. Spectra revealed differences in emissions from glancing and normal spectra, which may evidence phase separation within the bulk of the micrometer-size fibers. Further, dichroic ratios show polymer chains did not align, even in the presence of nanofillers. Addition of nanofillers affected emissions in the C-H, C═O, and C-C regimes, suggesting their involvement in interfacial matrix-carbon nanotube bonding. Spectral differences at glancing angles between pristine and composite mats suggest that geometric conformational configurations are taking place between polymeric chains and carbon nanotubes. These differences appear to be carbon nanotube-dimension dependent and are promoted upon room temperature mixing and shear flow during electrospinning. CH-π bonding between polymer chains and graphitic walls, as well as H-bonds between impurities in the as-grown MWCNTs and polymer pendant groups are proposed bonding mechanisms promoting matrix conformation.

Surface orientation of polystyrene based polymers: steric effects from pendant groups on the phenyl ring

Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) coupled with molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to probe the orientation at the exposed surface of the polymer film for polystyrene type polymers with various pendant functional groups off the phenyl ring. For all the polymers, the surface was oriented so that the rings are nominally normal to the film surface and pointing outward from the surface. The magnitude of this orientation was small and dependent on the size of the pendant functional group. Bulky functional groups hindered the surface orientation, leading to nearly unoriented surfaces. Depth dependent NEXAFS measurements demonstrated that the surface orientation was localized near the interface. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the phenyl rings were not oriented strongly around a particular "average tilt angle". In contrast, simulations demonstrate that the phenyl rings exhibit a broad distribution of tilt angles, and that changes in the tilt angle distribution with pendant functionality give rise to the observed NEXAFS response. The more oriented samples exhibit a higher probability of phenyl ring orientation at angles greater than 60 degrees relative to the plane of the films surface.

Electronic Delocalization in Discotic Liquid Crystals: A Joint Experimental and Theoretical Study

Discotic liquid crystals emerge as very attractive materials for organic-based (opto)electronics as they allow efficient charge and energy transport along self-organized molecular columns. Here, angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARUPS) is used to investigate the electronic structure and supramolecular organization of the discotic molecule, hexakis(hexylthio)diquinoxalino[2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine, deposited on graphite. The ARUPS data reveal significant changes in the electronic properties when going from disordered to columnar phases, the main feature being a decrease in ionization potential by 1.8 eV following the appearance of new electronic states at low binding energy. This evolution is rationalized by quantum-chemical calculations performed on model stacks containing from two to six molecules, which illustrate the formation of a quasi-band structure with Bloch-like orbitals delocalized over several molecules in the column. The ARUPS data also point to an energy dispersion of the upper pi-bands in the columns by some 1.1 eV, therefore highlighting the strongly delocalized nature of the pi-electrons along the discotic stacks.