Energy migration and transfer in polymer systems

Abstract

Theoretical treatments of singlet energy transfer are reviewed with the objective of determining the expressions most relevant for polymeric systems. Observations of singlet energy transfer from 1,3 diphenyl oxazole to 1,4 di[2-(4-methyl 5-phenyl oxazolyl)]-benzene, anthracene and benzophenone confirm that the Förster relationships are valid for dilute solutions of these small molecules. For a polymer donor in which there exists spectral overlap in absorption and emission, there is the possibility of energy migration along the chain. Under these conditions, and where acceptor diffusion may be important, it is found that relationships due to Yokota and Tanimoto are the most useful in both fluid and polymeric environments. Coefficients for migration of singlet energy down chains of poly(N-vinyl carbazole), poly(2-vinyl) naphthalene) and copolymers of N-vinyl carbazole with methyl acrylate have been evaluated. They are consistent with a model in which energy is transferred by a random walk series of Förster interactions between spectroscopically active nearest neighbours.