Hyper-efficientquenching of non-conjugatedpendantpolymer by silver nanoparticles: Ademonstration and versatilemechanisticproposition

Abstract

Hyper-efficientquenching of fluorescence of non-conjugatedpolymer poly(N-vinylcarbazole) by silver nanoparticles is demonstrated. The quenching efficiency increases with an increase in the length of the polymer chain containing the pendant chromophore units. The Stern–Volmer constants (10⁹–10¹⁰ mol^-1 dm³) are found to be orders of magnitude higher than the normal photochemical quenching processes. Although nanoparticle induced hyper-quenching is reported for conjugatedpolymers, similar observation in non-conjugatedpolymers is unprecedented. Aversatile mechanism is proposed that rationalizes the hyper-quenching of both conjugated and non-conjugatedpolymers.