A simple
and quick preparation of black polymer nanoparticles by
the microwave-assisted polymerization of 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene
and 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triazinane under high temperature and pressure
was demonstrated. The average diameter of the nanoparticles ranged
from 20 to 700 nm, depending on the preparation conditions such as
reaction solvent, monomer concentrations, and monomer ratio in the
seed mixture. The surface charge of the nanoparticles was also determined
by the monomer ratio used in the seed mixture. The nanoparticles could
be dispersed in polar solvents such as water, methanol, and ethanol,
probably because the phenolic hydroxyl groups and primary/secondary
amine groups remained on the surface of the nanoparticles. The reflectance
spectroscopic measurements from 200 to 2200 nm showed that the nanoparticles
expressed selective reflectivity of NIR wavelengths. The absorption
and reflectance properties could be tuned by microwave-assisted wet
calcination of the nanoparticles. The particles were initially dark
green, but when the particles were heated at 250 °C for 10 min
in ethylene glycol, they absorbed light in the UV–visible region
(reflectance was less than 3% from 200 to 750 nm), indicating the
color of the particles had become perfectly black. Reflection in the
NIR region from 1250 to 2150 nm, however, remained more than 50% after
calcination. The calcinated nanoparticles could be dispersed in water,
and the surface charge was positive at lower pH and negative at higher
pH. The isoelectric point shifted slightly from 5.3 to 4.4 after wet
calcination at 250 °C. The amount of nitrogen in the nanoparticles
decreased remarkably after calcination; therefore, the phenolic hydroxyl
groups must have remained on the surface of the calcinated nanoparticles
preferentially to the amine groups. These black nanoparticles with
selective reflectance in the NIR region could be applied to black
heat-shielding materials such as paints for buildings and automobiles.