Self-Assembled Nanofibers of Fluorescent Zeolite L Crystals and Conjugated Polymer

Abstract

Through this work, we present self-assembled structures which can be obtained by mixing surface modified dye loaded zeolite L crystals and cationic precursors of a conjugated polymer. The zeolite crystals are modified with anionic end groups which give the former a polyanionic character and allow a polyelectrolytic assembly. Microfluidic forces, introduced during the drying of a drop of water containing both polyelectrolytes casted on a clean glass substrate, and localized adsorption on the single zeolite crystal lead to the formation of micro- and nanofibers of highly ordered zeolite nanocrystals. As a result, the fibers display a very well polarized emission from the organic dye included into the nanochannels of the inorganic crystal. Playing on the relative concentrations of polycation and zeolites, and after thermal conversion of the polymer precursor, rigid and insoluble fibers with diameters ranging from less than 200 nm to a few micrometers are obtained.