Size Effects on the Luminescence Properties of Polymer Nanowires

Poly(3-(2-methoxyphenyl)thiophene)(PMP-Th) nanowires were fabricated using porous anodic alumina(PAA) as template through electrochemical polymerization by cyclic voltammetry. The control on the size of nanowires was confirmed by electron microscopy. The results indicated that the luminescence spectra of PMP-Th nanowires in PAA nanochannels were blue-shifted and emission intensity was enhanced compared to the emission of the PMP-Th film. Moreover, the luminescent spectra of PMP-Th nanowires were size dependent, which may result from the change in the degree of confinement of nanowires in PAA. F rster energy transfer from PAA to PMP-Th molecules is considered to be responsible for the enhancement of luminescence from PMP-Th nanowires in PAA. The results show that the emission properties of polymers with nanostructures can be tuned by controlling their size.