Molecular Aggregation States of Imogolite/P3HT Nanofiber Hybrid

Preparation of novel organic/inorganic nanofiber hybrid composed of one-dimensional P3HT nanofiber and aluminosilicate imogolite was demonstrated. To achieve better compatibility with hydrophobic P3HT, Al-OH group on imogolite surface was modified with terthiophene derivative, 2-[5-hexyl-2,2':5',2-terthiophene]-5-ethyl)-phosphonic acid (H3TP). Dissolving the mixture of P3HT and surface modified imogolite in poor solvent of anisole at elevated temperature (> 70 deg. C) followed by subsequent slow cooling (250C/h) to room temperature induced the formation of P3HT crystallite that winds around the surface modified imogolite core. The thickness of the nanofiber hybrid estimated from DFM is larger than the parent P3HT nanofiber and imogolite. UV-vis spectroscopy spectra indicate that addition of surface modified imogolite can influence the molecular aggregation state of P3HT via van der Waals interaction. Through GIWAXD experiments, it was found that P3HT molecular chains are strongly oriented and lying on surface modified imogolite core.