Surfactant-Mediated Incorporation of Poly(p-phenylene) into MoO₃

Surfactant-mediated transport of insoluble, hydrophobic polymers can be exploited to produce a novel interleaved metal oxide/polymer composite containing poly(p-phenylene). The synthetic route is illustrated in the scheme, whereby a surfactant bilayer between the MoO3 layers is displaced by the PPP/surfactant dispersion. Subsequent heat treatment results in concomitant combustion of the surfactant and collapse of the oxide layers, thus entrapping the PPP chains as a polymer monolayer in the interlamellar gap.