1. Effect of external stimulus on polymer conformation in CdS-PVP nanocomposites: Raman, PL, and AFM mapping study.
- Author
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Rani, Ekta, Ingale, Alka A., and Sinha, Anil K.
- Subjects
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RESONANCE Raman effect , *CHEMICAL solution deposition , *NANOCOMPOSITE materials , *BAND gaps , *STIMULUS & response (Psychology) - Abstract
Intriguing spherical conformation of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) embedded with CdS nanocrystals in CdS-PVP nanocomposites grown via facile chemical bath deposition is probed using simultaneous Raman and AFM mapping. Observance of isolated or coagulated PVP spheres embedded with CdS nanocrystals at room temperature (RT) due to polymer collapse or clouding, respectively, is attributed to relative variation in Cd+/PVP concentration in the bath. With an additional external stimulus of temperature (70 °C) and subsequent growth at RT in the same chemical bath, observed only isolated and dimer PVP spheres are ascribed to opening (high temperature) and reformation (RT) of PVP spheres with dominating collapse mechanism of polymer. Formation of dimer PVP sphere due to lock and key binding mechanism is facilitated by the temperature. Transformation of RT grown mixed-phase structure to purely hexagonal phase further confirming the change in conformation of CdS-PVP nanocomposites on the application of an external stimulus. Stronger resonance Raman scattering for CdS nanocrystals embedded in the isolated PVP spheres is attributed to strain-related band gap tuning. The understanding developed of the application of the external stimulus leading to change in polymer conformation can be gainfully used in macromolecular actuators and biomedical field as delivery systems. Application of an external stimulus of temperature and subsequent growth at room temperature led to formation of only isolated and dimer PVP spheres embedded with CdS nanocrystals, wherein formation of dimer PVP spheres happen due to lock and key binding mechanism between two isolated PVP spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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