Influence of structure 3,5,7,3′,4′-Pentahydroxyflavone-based polymer films on their optical transparency

•Optically transparent cross-linked polymers based on glycidyl derivatives of quercetin.•Influence of polymer structure on optical transparency of polymer films.•Morphology of cross-linked quercetin-containing polymers.

Optical properties and morphology of polymer films based on diglycidyl ether of bis-phenol A and on natural compound 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentahydroxyflavone (quercetin) using UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction methods have been investigated. The influence of ordering degree of the polymers, flexibility of their chains, intensity of intermolecular interaction between the quercetine moieties on the polymers' morphology was discussed.It is shown that all the quercetine-based polymer films are transparent at visible and near infrared regions beginning from 420 to 450 nm. Low optical transparency in the short-wavelength region can be explained the self-absorption of quercetin moieties in the polymer chains.

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