POLY[(METHYLENE OXIDE)OLIGO(ETHYLENE OXIDE)] VS POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) AS HOSTS FOR NEODYMIUM COMPOUNDS

In view of the residual crystallinity in PEO found to limit the solubi lity of some Nd3+-compounds, amorphous PEO (aPEO) was synthesized for exploration as an alternative host. Complexation, solubility limit, mo rphology, and response to moisture absorption in the doped systems wer e investigated using FTIR, DSC, TGA, and WAXD techniques. Representing a perturbation to the structural regularity present in PEO, aPEO was found to present lower solubilities for dopants Nd (act)3 and Nd (acac )3, both characterized by a weak Nd3+-ether oxygen interaction. On the other hand, no difference in solubility was observed for dopant Nd(NO 3)3, characterized by a strong Nd3+-ether oxygen interaction. Laser in terferometry was employed to assess film homogeneity of the Nd(NO3)3-d oped systems across a 20-mm diameter, and the measured peak-to-valley distortion values were observed to be encouraging for practical applic ations. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.