The Enzymatic Synthesis of Thiol-Containing Polymers to Prepare Polymer−CdS Nanocomposites

Thiol-containing polyphenolics are enzymatically synthesized in the microstructured environment of reversed micelles. CdS semiconductor nanocrystallites, also synthesized in the water pools of reversed micelles, are then attached to these polymers through binding to the sulfhydryl groups. The polymer−CdS nanocomposite thus prepared exhibits luminescence characteristic of such quantum dot particles. Passivation of the CdS by the polymer suppresses low-energy emissions associated with surface recombinations, while slightly enhancing higher energy emissions resulting from the recombinations in the excitonic state of the crystallite interior. The polymer−CdS complex is stable in solution, and the solid form can be obtained in the morphology of microspheres.