title: Controlled electropolymerization of ruthenium(II) vinylbipyridyl complexes in mesoporous nanoparticle films of TiO(2).
abstract: Surface-initiated, oligomeric assemblies of ruthenium(II) vinylpolypyridyl complexes have been grown within the cavities of mesoporous nanoparticle films of TiO2 by electrochemically controlled radical polymerization. Surface growth was monitored by cyclic voltammetry as well as UV/Vis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Polymerization occurs by a radical chain mechanism following cyclic voltammetry scans to negative potentials where reduction occurs at the π* levels of the polypyridyl ligands. Oligomeric growth within the cavities of the TiO2 films occurs until an average of six repeat units are added to the surface-bound initiator site, which is in agreement with estimates of the internal volumes of the pores in the nanoparticle films.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3209, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290 (USA).
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Shahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keinan
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alibabaei
authors.forename: Hanlin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Akitaka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Meyer
keywords: TiO2 films; mesoporous materials; oligomers; reductive polymerization; ruthenium