Dispersion of upconverting nanostructures of CePO4 using rod and semi-spherical morphologies into transparent PMMA/PU IPNs by the sequential route

Publication date: 25 April 2018
Source:Polymer, Volume 142
Author(s): D. Palma-Ramírez, M.A. Domínguez-Crespo, A.M. Torres-Huerta, V.A. Escobar-Barrios, H. Dorantes-Rosales, H. Willcock
Upconverting luminescent poly (methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)/poly (urethane) (PU) interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) nanohybrids were prepared using a sequential polymerisation incorporating different wt.% of cerium phosphate (CePO4) nanoparticles. The effect of miscibility/compatibility of the different PMMA/PU ratios, the addition and dispersion of rod and semi-spherical nanostructures in as well as the performance of selected IPNs under accelerated aging were studied using morphological, emission, thermal and mechanical studies. Structural studies revealed that there were physical interactions between CO groups and CePO4 in PMMA/PU IPNs. The addition of a higher wt.% of nanostructures was found to decrease the transparency of the IPNs. Resulting PMMA/PU/CePO4 IPN nanohybrids are photoluminescent under UV-light, supporting the prolongate of lifetime while maintaining the mechanical properties after being subjected to accelerated weathering. The addition of semi-spherical particles resulted in a more stable materials after accelerated weathering than nanorods.

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