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Menamparambath MM. In Situ Engineering of Conducting Polymer Nanocomposites at Liquid/Liquid Interfaces: A Perspective on Fundamentals to Technological Significance. ACS MATERIALS AU 2024; 4:115-128. [PMID: 38496041 PMCID: PMC10941287 DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialsau.3c00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The conducting polymers have continuously been hybridized with their counterparts to overcome the intrinsic functional limitations compared to the metallic or inorganic analogs. Remarkably, the liquid/liquid interface-assisted methods represent an efficient and facile route for developing fully tunable metamaterials for various applications. The spontaneous adsorption of nanostructures at a quasi-two-dimensional interface is energetically favorable due to the reduction in interfacial tension, interfacial area, and interfacial energy (Helmholtz free energy). This Perspective highlights the fundamentals of nanostructure adsorption leading to hierarchical architecture generation at the interface from an experimentalist's point of view. Thereafter, the essential applications of the conducting polymer/nanocomposites synthesized at the interface emphasize the capability of the interface to tune functional materials. This Perspective also summarizes the future challenges and the use of the known fundamental aspects in overcoming the functional limitations of polymer/nanomaterial composites and also provides some future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mini Mol Menamparambath
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut-673601, Kerala, India
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Moshrefi R, Ryan K, Connors EP, Walsh JC, Merschrod E, Bodwell GJ, Stockmann TJ. Electrosynthesis of Au nanocluster embedded conductive polymer films at soft interfaces using dithiafulvenyl-functionalized pyrene. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:5834-5842. [PMID: 36861258 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr06519c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticle (NP) embedded conductive polymer films are desirable platforms for electrocatalysis as well as biomedical and analytical applications. Increased catalytic and analytical performance is accompanied by concomitant decreases in NP size. Herein, highly reproducible electrogeneration of low dispersity Au nanocluster embedded ultra-thin (∼2 nm) conductive polymer films at a micro liquid|liquid interface is demonstrated. Confinement at a micropipette tip facilitates a heterogeneous electron transfer process across the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES), between KAuCl4(aq) and a dithiafulvenyl-substituted pyrene monomer, 4,5-didecoxy-1,8-bis(dithiafulven-6-yl)pyrene (bis(DTF)pyrene), in oil, i.e., a w|o interface. At a large ITIES the reaction is spontaneous, rapid, and proceeds via transfer of AuCl4- to the oil phase, followed by homogeneous electron transfer generating uncontrolled polymer growth with larger (∼50 nm) Au nanoparticles (NPs). Thus, miniaturization facilitates external, potential control and limits the reaction pathway. Atomic (AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopies (KPFM) imaged the topography and work function distribution of the as-prepared films. The latter was linked to nanocluster distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Moshrefi
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
| | - Katelyn Ryan
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
| | - Evan P Connors
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
| | - Joshua C Walsh
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
| | - Erika Merschrod
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
| | - Graham J Bodwell
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
| | - Talia Jane Stockmann
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Core Science Facility, 45 Arctic Ave, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7.
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Simultaneous electro-generation/polymerization of Cu nanocluster embedded conductive poly(2,2':5',2''-terthiophene) films at micro and macro liquid/liquid interfaces. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1201. [PMID: 36681717 PMCID: PMC9867727 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cu nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to be excellent electrocatalysts, particularly for CO2 reduction - a critical reaction for sequestering anthropogenic, atmospheric carbon. Herein, the micro interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) is exploited for the simultaneous electropolymerization of 2,2':5',2''-terthiophene (TT) and reduction of Cu2+ to Cu nanoparticles (NPs) generating a flexible electrocatalytic composite electrode material. TT acts as an electron donor in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) through heterogeneous electron transfer across the water|DCE (w|DCE) interface to CuSO4 dissolved in water. The nanocomposite formation process was probed using cyclic voltammetry as well as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). CV and EIS data show that the film forms quickly; however, the interfacial reaction is not spontaneous and does not proceed without an applied potential. At high [TT] the heterogeneous electron transfer wave was recorded voltammetrically but not at low [TT]. However, probing the edge of the polarizable potential window was found to be sufficient to initiate electrogeneration/electropolymerization. SEM and TEM were used to image and analyze the final Cu NP/poly-TT composites and it was discovered that there is a concomitant decrease in NP size with increasing [TT]. Preliminary electrocatalysis results at a nanocomposite modified large glassy carbon electrode saw a > 2 × increase in CO2 reduction currents versus an unmodified electrode. These data suggest that this strategy is a promising means of generating electrocatalytic materials for carbon capture. However, films electrosynthesized at a micro and ~ 1 mm ITIES demonstrated poor reusability.
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Moshrefi R, Stockmann TJ. Electrodeless Synthesis of Low Dispersity Au Nanoparticles and Nanoclusters at an Immiscible Micro Water/Ionic Liquid Interface. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:2748. [PMID: 36014613 PMCID: PMC9416156 DOI: 10.3390/nano12162748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Owing to their biocompatibility, optical, and catalytic properties, Au nanoparticles (NPs) have been the subject of much research. Since smaller NPs have enhanced catalytic properties and NP morphology greatly impacts their effectiveness, controlled and reproducible methods of generating Au NPs are still being sought. Herein, Au NPs were electrochemically generated at a water|ionic liquid (w|IL) immiscible micro-interface, 25 µm in diameter, using a redox active IL and compared to results at a water|oil (w|o) one. The liquid|liquid interface is advantageous as it is pristine and highly reproducible, as well as an excellent means of species and charge separation. In this system, KAuCl4 dissolved in the aqueous phase reacts under external potential control at the water|P8888TB (tetraoctylphosphonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate) with trioctyl(ferrocenylhexanoyl)phosphonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (FcIL), an electron donor and redox active IL. FcIL was prepared with a common anion to P8888TB, which greatly enhances its solubility in the bulk IL. Simple ion transfer of AuCl4− and AuCl(4−γ)(OH)γ− at the w|P8888TB micro-interface were characterized voltammetrically as well as their heterogeneous electron transfer reaction with FcIL. This interfacial reaction generates Au NPs whose size can be thermodynamically controlled by modifying the pH of the aqueous phase. Critically, at low pH, nanoclusters, <1.7 nm in diameter, were generated owing to inhibited thermodynamics in combination with the supramolecular fluidic nature of the IL microenvironment that was observed surrounding the as-prepared NPs.
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