Abstract
The advent of nanotechnology has triggered novel developments and applications for polymer-based membranes with embedded or coated nanoparticles. As an example, interaction of laser radiation with metallic and carbon nanoparticles has shown to provide optically triggered responses in otherwise transparent media. Incorporation of these materials inside polymers has led to generation of plasmonic and photothermal effects through the enhanced optical absorption of these polymer composites. In this work, we focus on the photothermal effects produced in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes with embedded carbon nanoparticles via light absorption. Relevant physical parameters of these composites, such as nanoparticle concentration, density, geometry and dimensions, are used to analyze the photothermal features of the membranes. In particular, we analyze the heat generation and conduction in the membranes, showing that different effects can be achieved and controlled depending on the physical and thermal properties of the composite material. Several novel applications of these light responsive membranes are also demonstrated, including low-power laser-assisted micro-patterning and optomechanical deformation. Furthermore, we show that these polymer-nanoparticle composites can also be used as coatings in photonic and microfluidic applications, thereby offering an attractive platform for developing light-activated photonic and optofluidic devices.
Highlights
A wide variety of synthetic membranes have been developed for applications involving separation processes, leading to useful solutions for wastewater treatments and contaminant removal [1].Research in polymer membranes has been extensive owing to their simple processing and higher flexibility for hosting other materials [2]
We evaluate the performance of PDMS–carbon composites as photothermal materials for developing polymer membranes and coatings
We have analyzed the photothermal effects produced in PDMS membranes with embedded We have analyzedvia thelight photothermal effects produced
Summary
A wide variety of synthetic membranes have been developed for applications involving separation processes, leading to useful solutions for wastewater treatments and contaminant removal [1].Research in polymer membranes has been extensive owing to their simple processing and higher flexibility for hosting other materials [2]. A wide variety of synthetic membranes have been developed for applications involving separation processes, leading to useful solutions for wastewater treatments and contaminant removal [1]. Polymers 2016, 8, 84 triphenylmethane, have proven useful for developing polymer membranes whose wettability and permeability features can be adjusted with light [4]. Other guests commonly used in host polymers include metal nanoparticles, which have shown to yield improved performance of membranes for wastewater treatment [1,2,3]. The inclusion of nanoparticles in polymer membranes aims at improving features such as hydrophobicity and mechanical strength, new functionalities may be obtained upon properly combining a polymer host with adequate nanoparticles as guests. For instance, may be used as hosts for optically absorbing nanoparticles, thereby providing a new platform for developing photoresponsive polymers
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