A modular design approach to polymer-coated ZnO nanocrystals

Elżbieta Chwojnowska; Justyna Grzonka; Iwona Justyniak; Tomasz Ratajczyk; Janusz Lewiński

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105759

A modular design approach to polymer-coated ZnO nanocrystals

iScience. 2022 Dec 14;26(1):105759. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105759. eCollection 2023 Jan 20.

Authors

Elżbieta Chwojnowska¹, Justyna Grzonka^{1

2}, Iwona Justyniak¹, Tomasz Ratajczyk¹, Janusz Lewiński^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
² Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Wołoska 141, 02-507 Warsaw, Poland.
³ Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract

Hybrid materials based on inorganic nanocrystals with organic polymers feature peculiar and fascinating properties and various applications. However, there is still a need for simple synthesis procedures that provide precise control over the polymer/nanocrystal microstructure of these materials. Herein, a novel organometallic approach to polymer-coated ZnO nanocrystals was developed. The presented method merges the initial ring-opening polymerization of ϵ-caprolactone mediated by an organozinc alkoxide initiator and an air-promoted transformation of the resulting macromolecular organozinc species. This one-pot procedure results in quantum-sized ZnO crystals with a core diameter of ca 3 nm coated by poly(ϵ-caprolactone) covalently bonded to the surface. Overall, the ability to create well-defined hybrid composites should provide a unique ability to access various nanosystems.

Keywords: Nanocomplex; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology.