Selective encapsulation-release and photodegradation characteristics of organic dyes by cross-linked fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomeric nanocomposites possessing aromatic siloxane segments as core units

Abstract

Cross-linked fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomeric nanocomposites possessing aromatic siloxane segments as core units [RF-oligomer/Ar-SiO2] exhibited an encapsulation ability toward organic dyes such as methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RB), 4-hydroxyazobenzene-4′-sulfonic acid sodium salt, and methyl orange (MO). In these organic dyes, MB and RB are effectively encapsulated into these nanocomposites in aqueous solutions. RF-oligomer/Ar-SiO2 nanocomposite-encapsulated organic dyes were found to exhibit a controlled releasing characteristic toward these encapsulated dyes, and encapsulated MB was not released into water; however, this encapsulated dye was smoothly released into acetone under similar conditions. Interestingly, RF-oligomer/Ar-SiO2 nanocomposites possessing biphenylene segments as core units were able to exhibit not a photostable characteristic but extremely higher photodegradation ability toward MO under UV light irradiation.