Time-resolved spectroscopy of charge-transfer fluorescent molecules in polymer matrices

Time-resolved fluorescence measurements have been carried out on charge-transfer fluorescent molecules incorporated in polymeric lattices, consisting of polystyrene cores and polyglycidylmethacrylate shells, and in polymethylmethacrylate thin films. New approaches to the analysis of fluorescence lifetime data obtained for molecules in polymer matrices had to be applied, since conventional analysis methods appeared not suitable for such strongly heterogeneous systems. The polymer lattices could be characterized by application of phase- resolved fluorescence lifetime measurements followed by maximum-entropy methods for data analysis. The thin films were studied using time-correlated single photon counting fluorescence lifetime measurements and data analysis with a home-built program based on stretched exponential decays. Interactions of the fluorescent guest molecules could be established by combined fluorescence lifetime and depolarization measurements. Suggestions for further improvements in fluorescence lifetime methods for characterization of polymeric materials have been made.