Facile one-pot synthesis of multifunctional and blue-light-emitting nanostructured polysilsesquioxane macromolecules via a miniemulsion process

Nanostructured ethylenediamine functionalized polysilsesquioxane (EDA-PSQ) macromolecules have been successfully synthesized by a facile one-pot miniemulsion route using organosilane monomer N-(3-Trimethoxysilylethyl)ethylenediamine (TMSEEDA) as the sole precursor for the first time. The particles exhibit spherical morphology with an average diameter of around 110 nm. Under UV light excitation, the nanostructured EDA-PSQs show unexpected intense blue emission bands consisting of peaks at 407, 437 and 478 nm, affording environmental friendly blue-light-emitting nanocomposites and promising for optoelectronic and biological applications. Further, after heating treatment at 500 °C, the blue emission bands disappear along with the emergence of a new and faint red emission band at 615 nm. The possible mechanisms for the blue emissions are discussed.

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► Ormosils are successfully fabricated in a facile one-pot miniemulsion route.
► SEM images confirm spherical shape of the nanoparticles.
► A strong and broad blue photoluminescence is observed under UV excitation.
► The intensity of the blue emission is dependent on the temperature.
► The NH-related defects are proposed to be responsible for the blue emission.