SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NANOSTRUCTURED GALLIUM NITRIDE-PMMA COMPOSITE

Nanostructured gallium nitride (GaN) has been prepared by the decompos ition of a dimeric precursor, Ga-2[N(CH3)(2)](6). The resulting greyis h solid exhibited X-ray diffraction-peaks at 2 theta = 35.5, 58 and 69 degrees, corresponding, respectively, to the (111), (220), and (311) lattice planes of face-centred cubic (zinc blende) GaN. HRTEM showed t hat the material was fcc, with numerous stacking faults. The GaN consi sted of primary domains of diameter 5 nm agglomerated into large secon dary particles, which were de-agglomerated using sonication. This proc ess yielded single-crystal particles, which were dispersed in poly(met hyl methacryate) (PMMA). The particle size was 5.5+/-2.6 nm and the lo ading was approximately 9 mg ml(-1). The composites have a strong opti cal resonance in the blue region, at ca. 320 nm.