Molecular assembly, luminescence and morphology of novel zinc/inorganic/organic nanohybrid material with covalent linkage

Abstract Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was first modified by an inorganic component of 3-(triethoxysilyl)-propyl isocyanate (TEPIC) to form the inorganic/organic polymeric functional precursor. The modified reagent with a functional group (–NHCOO–) further behaves as a bridge which can coordinate to Zn 2+ through oxygen atom and further formed Si–O backbones after hydrolysis and polycondensation processes. Subsequently, the corresponding organic/inorganic molecular-based hybrids were assembled to behave as the structural polymeric ligands with the two components equipped with covalent bonds. Finally, ternary zinc/inorganic/organic polymeric hybrid materials with chemical bond (covalent bonds of –CO–NH– and Si–O, coordination bond of Zn–O–C) have been assembled. The resulting hybrids exhibit blue luminescence and nanometer morphology.