The solvation dynamics and rotational relaxation of Coumarin 480 (C-480) have been investigated in the micelles of a series of gemini surfactants, 12-4(OH)n-12 (n = 0, 1, and 2), with increasing hydroxyl group substitution within the spacer group. Steady-state and time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) fluorescence spectroscopic techniques have been used to carry out such study. Steady-state and TCSPC fluorescence data support the location of probe molecule at the Stern layer. The solvation dynamics is found to be slower on hydroxyl substitution of spacer group due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between water molecules and hydroxyl group(s) of spacer group. Such kind of hydrogen bonding protects the probe molecule from its contact with water molecules and also results in restricted mobility of water molecules. The average rotational relaxation time increases on increasing number of substituted hydroxyl group on a spacer group. It is because of formations of more and more close packed micelles and larger extent of intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between C-480 and hydroxyl group(s). For micelles of each of 12-4-12 and 12-4(OH)-12, the slow rotational relaxation is dominated by the lateral diffusion of the fluorophore along the spherical surface of the micelle. However, for 12-4(OH)2-12, the slow rotational relaxation is mainly due to the rotational motion of the micelle as a whole. Because of high microviscosity of micelles of 12-4(OH)2-12 and greater extent of hydrogen bonding interactions with C-480, the relaxation time corresponding to the lateral diffusion of the fluorophore is very high in this case.

The present work demonstrates the solvation dynamics and rotational relaxation of Coumarin 153 (C-153) in the micelles of a series of cationic gemini surfactants, 12-s-12, 2Br(-) containing a hydrophobic polymethylene spacer with s = 3, 4, 6, 8, 12. Steady-state and time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) fluorescence spectroscopic techniques have been used to carry out this study. Steady-state and TCSPC fluorescence data suggest that C-153 molecules are located at the Stern layer of micelles. While probe molecules feel more or less the same micropolarity in the micellar phase, the microviscosity of micelles decreases with spacer chain length. Solvation dynamics at the Stern layer is bimodal in nature with fast solvation as a major component. Counter ions and water molecules bonded with the polar headgroups of surfactant molecules are responsible for the slow component. Average solvation time increases with spacer chain length because of the increased degree of counter ion dissociation. Some water molecules are involved in the solvation of counter ions themselves, resulting in the decrease in "free" water molecules to be available for the solvation of C-153. The hydrophobic spacer chain also has an effect on increasing the solvation time with increasing chain length. The average rotational relaxation time for C-153 decreases with spacer chain length with a rapid decrease at s > 4. The anisotropy decay of C-153 in micelles is biexponential in nature. The slow rotational relaxation is due to the lateral diffusion of C-153 in micelles. Lateral diffusion is much faster than the rotational motion of a micelle as a whole. The rotational motion of the micelle as a whole becomes faster with the decreasing size of micelles.

No abstract

A suitably sized charge transfer probe of an elongated geometry can induce the formation of R-cyclodextrin nanotubular suprastructures, a rare event because of size restriction of the host. The specific molecular structure is found to be responsible only for the 1:2 guest-host complex formations. No evidence of the formation of the 1:1 complex is found. Steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and atomic force microscopy show that the nanocomposites club with other such species very efficiently to form nanotubes and nanoclusters because of primary interactions through hydrogen bonding and develop nanotubular suprastructures due to secondary interactions. The degree of formation of the suprastructures is found to be very much controlled by the probe concentration. In aqueous environment, 2 µM is observed to be the best concentration for the fluorophore form of large rodlike aggregates. Concentrations as low as 1 µM and as high as 4 µM induce the formation of relatively smaller structures. The findings encourage the applications of cyclodextrin nanotubular clusters toward nanotechnology and pharmaceutical research. The concentration dependent phenomenon will dictate the drug dosage as also the extent of formation of the nanostructures in the formation of insulated nanowires. The work is purely indicating the anchoring capability of the used molecule to form nanotubular R-CD suprastructures which otherwise does not form so frequently.

No abstract

Solvation dynamics and rotational relaxation of coumarin 153 (C-153) in mixed micelles of non-ionic surfactant, Triton X-100 and a series of cationic gemini surfactants, 12-s-12, 2Br with varying polymethylene spacer chain length (s = 3, 6, 8, 12) at different bulk mole fractions of a surfactant were studied. Studies were carried out by means of UV-Vis absorption, steady-state fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, and dynamic light scattering measurements. While micropolarity of the environment around C-153 in mixed micelles increased, the microviscosity decreased with increasing amount of a gemini surfactant. This is because the thickness of the Stern layer of micelles increases as a result of greater extent of penetration of water molecules. Solvation dynamics and rotational relaxation of C-153 become faster with increasing mole fraction of a gemini surfactant in the mixed micelles. Increasing the thickness of the Stern layer leads to an increase in the number of water molecules hydrogen bonded among themselves, resulting in an increase in polarity and microfluidity of the environment. At a given bulk mole fraction of a surfactant, the microviscosity of micelles decreases with increasing the spacer chain length of the gemini surfactant resulting in an increase in the rate of the rotational relaxation process. However, at a given bulk mole fraction of a surfactant, solvation dynamics becomes slower with increasing spacer chain length from s = 3 to 8 because of the increasing degree of counter ion dissociation. The slow rotational relaxation process is mainly due to the lateral diffusion of C-153 along the surface of the micelles. Rotationalmotion of the micelle as a whole is much slower than the lateral diffusion of C-153.

No abstract

No abstract