Synthesis of Novel Cobalt-Containing Polysilazane Nanofibers with Fluorescence by Electrospinning

• Main Authors: Qian Zhang, Dechang Jia, Zhihua Yang, Xiaoming Duan, Qingqing Chen, Yu Zhou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2016-10-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: polycobaltsilazane; electrospinning; nanofibers; luminescence
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/8/10/350
• ISSN: 2073-4360

Emission in the nanostructured materials is important in micro/nanoelectronic devices. We report here a strategy for the processing of micron and submicron fibers from a cobalt-containing hyperbranched polysilazane by electrospinning. The electrospun nanofibers have uniform average diameters of ~600 nm and lengths of ~10 μm. The photophysical properties of polycobaltsilazane (PCSN) are studied using UV-VIS and photoluminescence spectroscopies. PCSN fibers display a series of emission peaks between 490 and 615 nm. The Co(II) doping into polysilazane leads to the emission from 465 to 415 nm. The emission wavelength shift of Co(III)-containing polysilazane is specific under 340 and 470 nm excitation wavelengths, respectively, while it is not observed with metal-free polysilazane. Thermogravimetric analysis-Differentical thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) profiles also show good thermostability of the PCSN fibers at 800 °C under Ar atmosphere. The use of PCSN offers both enhanced ceramic yields against ~5 wt % starting material and the fluorescence intensity of polymeric fibers.