Photoactive, porous honeycomb films prepared from Rose Bengal-grafted polystyrene

Langmuir. 2013 Aug 13;29(32):10264-71. doi: 10.1021/la402079z. Epub 2013 Jul 30.

Abstract

Honeycomb-structured porous polymer films based on photosensitizer-grafted polystyrene are prepared through the breath figure process. Rose Bengal (RB) photosensitizer is first attached to a well-defined poly(styrene-stat-4-vinylbenzyl chloride) statistical copolymer, synthesized by nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization. The RB grafted poly(styrene-stat-4-vinylbenzyl chloride) (ca. 20,000 g mol(-1) molar mass, 1.2 dispersity) leads to porous polymer films, with a hexagonal pore pattern, while a simple mixture of poly(styrene-stat-4-vinylbenzyl chloride) and the insoluble RB photosensitizer produced unstructured, nonporous films. The RB-grafted honeycomb films, compared with the corresponding nonporous flat films, are more efficient for oxidation of organic molecules via singlet oxygen production at a liquid/solid interface. The oxidations of 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene to juglone and α-terpinene to ascaridole are followed in ethanol in the presence of both types of films. Oxidation of the organic molecules is a factor 5 greater with honeycomb compared to the nonporous films. This gain is ascribed to two factors: the specific location of the polar photosensitizer at the film interface and the greater exchange surface, as revealed by fluorescence and scanning electron microscopies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Molecular Structure
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry*
  • Polystyrenes / chemical synthesis
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry*
  • Porosity
  • Rose Bengal / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Polystyrenes
  • Rose Bengal