Dimeric sodium naphthalene-1-sulfonate aggregates guided self-assembly of TiO2/naphthylene hybrid nanocomposite film

Sodium naphthalene-1-sulfonate (1-SNS) is employed as template to assemble a new kind of air–water interfacial TiO2 film. The microstructure of this hybrid film is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). These worm-like pores in the film with an average diameter about 1.5 nm and the lamellar structure in the TiO2/1-SNS precipitate are observed, respectively, which are considered to result from the intercalation of 1-SNS molecular dimers. Two possible models of the dimeric aggregates (A1 and A2) were proposed through theoretical calculations. Further, Nuclear Overhauser Enhancement Spectroscopy (NOESY) is performed to differentiate the more reasonable aggregate in the assembly process. The different formation mechanisms of the mesoporous film and the lamellar precipitate were investigated by the more reasonable dimer structure A2. The mesopore diameter in the TiO2/1-SNS composite film has also been carefully discussed. This investigation on hybrid TiO2 film containing ordered array of conjugated structures showed optoelectronic properties and applications.