AbstractThe insoluble, strongly hydrogen bonded organic pigment of 3,6-bis-(4-chlorphenyl)-l,4- diketopyrrolo [3,4-c] pyrrole was transiently blocked by adding carbamate groups, and consequently incorporated into organic-inorganic hybrid matrices by a sol-gel process. The homo- (pigment-pigment) and hetero-intermolecular (pigment-matrix) interactions were found to control both the assembly and dispersion of pigment molecules in the hybrid coating films. A weaker interaction between matrices and pigment molecules results in aggregation of the carbamate pigment in the methyl-silicate films. A stronger interaction forms a homogenous dispersion and coloration of the phenyl-silicate films. The as-prepared methyl- and phenylsilicate films doped with the organic pigment were distinguished by a morphology change and a blue (hypsochromic) shift in absorption from 550 to 460 nm. Thermal treatment can remove the carbamate groups and in-situ form the organic pigment in the hybrid films.
