Porphyrin linked carbon nanostructures in polymeric nanocomposite—state-of-the-art and headways.

Porphyrins is a unique heterocyclic molecule with four modified pyrrole rings interconnected at α carbon atoms via methine groups. The potential of porphyrin has been enhanced by developing the linked nanostructures with nanocarbons (carbon nanotube, graphene and fullerene) through physical/covalent electron donor-acceptor interactions. The porphyrin linked nanocarbon nanostructures have been reinforced in the polymeric matrices such as thermoplastic and conjugated polymers using facile approaches. The polymer/porphyrin linked nanocarbon nanocomposite revealed several remarkable characteristics like high surface area, conductivity, optical, thermal, mechanical capacitance, sensing and photocatalytic features. The high-performance nanocomposite nanostructures have been employed in sensor, supercapacitor and solar cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]