Morphologically induced polychromism of MEH-PPV nanoparticles prepared using amphiphilic comb-polymer as encapsulation matrix

•Water-soluble MEH-PPV conjugated polymer nanoparticles are prepared.•Amphiphilic comb-polymer is successfully used as encapsulation matrix.•The MEH-PPV nanoparticles have diameters below 100 nm.•Luminescence emission spectra depend on the phase transfer protocol.

Control over the photophysical properties of aqueous dispersions of conjugated polymers is of interest for biosensing and bioimaging applications and of paramount importance in the fabrication of optoelectronic devices. We demonstrate that an amphiphilic comb-polymer obtained from a poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) precursor can be used as effective transfer agent to bring hydrophobic poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-p-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) from the organic to the aqueous phase. Both the reprecipitation and miniemulsion methods results in MEH-PPV dispersed in water. The reprecipitation method results in bathochromically shifted emission relative to the emission of MEH-PPV in tetrahydrofuran. However, the miniemulsion method results in a hypsochromic shift in the emission of MEH-PPV relative to the emission of the polymer in chloroform.

Graphical abstractPhase transfer of MEH-PPV from organic solvent to water using an amphiphilic comb-polymer results in bathochromic and hypsochromic shifts in the emission depending on the preparation protocol.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide