Polymer matrices for porphyrin nanorods incorporation. Artificial light harvesting applications

Abstract

This contribution is focused on the supramolecular approach in exploration of aggregates formation by two different porphyrins wherein self-assembly plays an important role. Spectroscopic and microscopic studies usually provide information on investigations regarding the effects of various parameters on the fabrication of porphyrin aggregates by ionic self- assembly. Various properties of ionic self-assembled porphyrin nanorods have been investigated, including nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, and these studies were influenced by the fact that porphyrins have great thermal stability and extended [Formula: see text]conjugated macro cyclic rings which give them large nonlinear optical effects. The major reasons limiting porphyrin nanorods photonic applications include the difficulty of handling them in liquid solutions and their degradation with long exposure to light. This necessitates the use of appropriate solid matrices to host the nanorods. Inspired by the precise organization and orientation of the chromophores in natural systems, attention has been on the design of nanometer sized chromophoric assemblies, which may find applications in the field of molecular photonics. However, it is challenging to design multicomponent systems with controlled structural arrangement at the molecular level. A lack of precise arrangement may have a negative impact on the construction of an efficient artificial light harvesting system. This review is focused on exploring the possibility of incorporating nanorods into polymer matrices to overcome the limiting factors of applications of these materials in photonic devices.