“…Figure 5B shows the FT-IR spectra of ZnO NPs before and after interactions with BDPE-47 and BDPE-209. The peaks at ~3294, ~2968, and ~2330 cm −1 that appear in ZnO–PBDPEs complex correspond to the stretching vibrations of OH, and symmetric stretching vibration of aliphatic C–H and C=O, respectively [19,25]. In comparison to the pristine ZnO NPs, a new band was observed at ~1346–1358 cm −1 , which is attributed to the adsorption of PBDPEs onto ZnO NPs surface via aromatic ether (-O-) groups [27,42] Furthermore, Figure 5C,D, indicate the XPS analysis of PBDPEs before and after the interaction with ZnO NPs, which further confirm the attachment of Br (present in BDPE-47 and BDPE-209) onto the ZnO NPs surface [43,44] Therefore, it can be inferred that surface Zn-OH groups (donor) of the NP and ether (-O-) groups in PBDPEs (acceptor), or induced dipole, might be responsible for the strong interaction between PBDPEs and ZnO NPs.…”