Some organic-inorganic nanocomposites and their optoelectronic properties

Intercalation of organic guest into the interlayer space of inorganic host materials such as clays is an effective way of producing well-organised nanocomposites with properties that can be used for various industrial applications, including the production of electronic devices. Single crystals of lamellar-structured thiophosphates, particularly MnPS3 and Pd3P2S8, have been prepared from the pure elements via chemical vapour transport. The hybrid compounds were characterised by powder x-ray diffractometry and by infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Intercalation of cationic species into these compounds was achieved under mild conditions, producing significant increases in the interlayer spacing. The optoelectronic properties of the host compounds were enhanced by the presence of organic intercalants, and the photoluminescence of intercalated species such as poly(phenylene vinylene) [PPV] was significantly more stable than that of the free polymer.