High fluorescence emission of carboxylic acid functionalized polystyrene/BaTiO3 nanocomposites and rare earth metal complexes: Preparation and characterization

Noble fluorescence nanocomposite compound based on barium titanate nanoparticles (BTO), polystyrene (PSt), and terbium ion (Tb3+) was synthesized by a combination of surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction and coordinate chemistry. Initially, a modification of surface of BTO was conducted by an exchange process with S-benzyl S’-trimethoxysilylpropyltrithiocarbonate to create macro-initiator for polymerization of styrene. Subsequently, aryl carboxylic acid functionalized polystyrene grafted barium titanate (BTO-g-PSt-COOH) was generated by substitution reaction between 4-(Chloromethyl) benzoic acid and PSt chains. The coordination of the nanohybrids with Tb3+ ions afforded fluorescent Tb3+ tagged aryl carboxylic acid functionalized polystyrene grafted barium titanate (BTO-g-PSt-Tb3+) complexes. Structure, morphology, and fluorescence properties of nanohybrid complexes were investigated by respective physical and spectral s...