Microwave-Assisted Solid State in Situ Polymerization and Intercalation of Poly(carbazole) between Bentonite Layers: Effect of Microwave Irradiation and Gallery Confinement on the Spectral, Fluorescent, and Morphological Properties

Nanoscopic confinement of conducting polymers in the clay galleries significantly influences their physical and chemical properties. This calls for the optimization of the properties of the resultant nanocomposites. The amount of loading and distribution of the polymer within the galleries plays an important role in controlling the conformation oldie chains which has a profound effect on its physical properties. In this paper, we have investigated, for the first time, the role of confinement of polycarbazole (PCz) in the clay galleries on its spectroscopic, fluorescent, and morphological characteristics when synthesized by microwave-assisted solid state intercalation. The layered structure of bentonite efficiently confines polycarbazole (PCz) at different loadings (0.25 wt %, 0.5 wt %, and 0.1 wt %) the later exhibits remarkably different properties at each loading. This behavior has been explained on the basis of variable orientations and discrete and overlying distribution of PCz chains inside the clay galleries. Results reveal that the composite with a fairly small amount of PCz showed remarkable spectroscopic and fluorescent properties and hence can be used as a fluorescent probe or in electronic devices.