Investigation of Structural, Morphological and Photoluminescence Properties of Electrospun Cu@PMMA Nanofibers

Abstract

In this work, a tetrameric Cu(II) Schiff base complex [Tetrakis((µ3-N-(3,5-dichlorosalicyclideneamino)ethanolato)-Cu(II))], (1), has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. In different concentrations (5–20 wt%), complex (1) has been doped into poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) as the polymer matrix using by electrospinning technique to form Cu@PMMA nanofibers. Both complex (1) and electrospun Cu@PMMA nanofibers were characterized using various techniques including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), photoluminescence (PL) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of Cu@PMMA composite fibers in the solid-state were studied at room temperature. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent PL properties of Cu@PMMA nanofibers, with a weight% of 15%, were investigated within a temperature range of 10–300 K. Cu@PMMA nanofibers exhibited blue emission with excitation wavelength of 349 nm. Brilliant values of the chromaticity coordinates of the prepared photoluminescent nanofibers predict their possible use in blue solid-state lighting applications.