Host-Guest Energy Transfer: Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles and Au Nanoparticles

Here, we demonstrate the energy transfer from the semiconducting polymer nanoparticles, poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), (2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole) (PBD), and a mixture of PVK and PBD blended polymer nanoparticles, to Au nanoparticles using steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopies. The PL quenching values are 65, 30, 57, and 53% for PVK, PBD, and 5 and 10 wt % PBD-doped PVK nanoparticles, respectively. The PL quenching and shortening of the decay time in the presence of Au nanoparticles suggest the energy transfer from polymer nanoparticles to Au nanoparticles. The increase of nonradiative rates in the presence of Au nanoparticles reveals the nonradiative resonance energy transfer from polymer nanoparticles to Au nanoparticles. The calculated energy transfers are 80.8, 72.3, and 77.07%, respectively, for pure PVK, 5 wt % PBD-doped PVK, and 10 wt % PBD-doped PVK nanoparticles. Using Forster resonance energy transfer and surface energy transfer methods, we calculated the distance between the donor and acceptor.