Organization of nanoparticles (NPs) into morphologically controlled and organised structures is a central issue for bottom-up fabrication of functional devices in optoelectronics, sensing, catalysis and medicine. Directed host–guest assembly of NPs into polymer matrices is an effective route to form structured NP assemblies with advantageous optical, electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties. In this article, Cooke, Rotello and co-workers reported recognition mediated assembly of ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) with a chromophore-functionalized polymer, facilitating fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from QDs to the chromophore. The authors designed and synthesized a polyfunctional copolymer featuring a solubilising methyl methacrylate (MMA) element, a diamidopyridine (DAP) recognition element and a flavin (Fl) chromophore. Thymine functionalized ZnSe QDs (Thy-QDs) were used as the guest in the assembly. Due to the spectral overlap and close proximity of the QDs and flavin units in the assembly, FRET was observed from QDs to flavin. This methodology of producing self-assembled structures both in solution and solid state provides a powerful tool for the creation of highly structured multifunctional materials and devices.
Fluorescence resonance energy transfer in recognition-mediated polymer-quantum dot assemblies by Vikas Nandwana, Brian Fitzpatrick, Qian Liu, Kyril M. Solntsev, Xi Yu, Gülen Yesilbag Tonga, Serkan Eymur, Murat Tonga, Graeme Cooke and Vincent M. Rotello, Polym. Chem. 2012, 3, 3072-3076.
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