High-silica mordenite as scaffold for phenylacetylene polymerization. In situ high pressure investigation

The joint use of high pressure and regular void-space architectures is a promising route to obtain new nanomaterials with unique properties. We explore herein the pressure-driven injection of aromatic guest species inside zeolite mordenite. Monomeric phenylacetylene (PhA), used as pressure transmitting medium, was inserted in high-silica mordenite at high pressure conditions. In-situ X-ray powder diffraction and IR spectroscopy analyses show that the combined action of high pressure, temperature and zeolite pores accomplish the intrusion of phenylacetylene and its conversion to oligomeric species exhibiting a greater degree of conjugation with respect to the starting monomer. This study may open a new path for the realization of composite materials with interesting optoelectronic properties via pressure-driven intrusion and polymerization of aromatic molecules inside zeolite frameworks.