Solution behaviour of a polymer with polyoxometalate inorganic molecular clusters in its main chain

Abstract

The solution behaviour of a rigid, conjugated polymer with inorganic POM molecular clusters in its main chain was characterized in solution. In a “good” solvent, this inorganic–organic hybrid polymer remains as a single chain with extended rod-like conformation. The addition of a “poor” solvent, water, resulted in the formation of hollow cylindrical supramolecular structures as confirmed by LLS and TEM techniques. The driving force for such assembly is shown to be counterion mediated electrostatic interactions.