Abstract:
This thesis presents the synthesis of various novel hybrid materials. The potential
applications of these hybrid materials are demonstrated. Chapter 1 introduces hybrid
materials and signifies the advantages of combining inorganic and organic materials
together. It presents recent developments in their synthesis and lists a few important
applications. Chapter 2 deals with fabrication of a smart material from polyelectrolytes
and amino clay using layer by layer method. These organic-inorganic hybrid materials
reversibly change their size in response to pH variation. These spheres are shown to have
applications in sustained release of negatively charged drug molecules. Capsule
preparation from these breathing spheres was successfully achieved. In chapter 3 surface
modification of carbon nanospheres with magnetic and luminescent probes have been
performed. These hybrid nanospheres show superparamagnetic behaviour and enhanced
luminescent intensity. Chapter 4 consists of preliminary studies on the self-assembly of
C60 fullerenes and single-walled carbon nanotubes at the liquid-liquid interface. The films
of C60 formed at the organic-aqueous interface are single crystalline and mechanically
robust.
