Silsesquioxane-based luminescent PMMA nanocomposites

Abstract

Multi-methacrylate functionalized cage silsesquioxane is a highly polymerizable monomer that can also act as a ligand coordinating agent to form luminescent hybrid complex with rare earth ions. This hybrid complex with terbium was incorporated into methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomers to form a hybrid luminescent PMMA nanocomposite via in situ polymerization. The resulting hybrid nanocomposite was highly optically transparent and exhibited photoluminescence, monochromaticity, relatively low surface energy and high thermal stability.