The fluorescence decays of the pyrene monomer of a series of pyrene-labeled poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)s (PyPDMAAm) were acquired in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and acetone with
different concentrations of nitromethane and at very low polymer concentration. DMF and acetone are
good and mediocre solvents for PyPDMAAm, respectively. Nitromethane is a potent quencher of pyrene.
Nitromethane addition to the polymer solution shortens the pyrene lifetime. The fluorescence decays of
the quenched and unquenched pyrene-labeled polymers were analyzed with a blob model. Shortening
the lifetime of pyrene reduces the volume probed by the dye while it remains excited. For each quencher
concentration, the blob volume and size were determined, and scaling laws were shown to hold. The
exponents retrieved from the scaling relationships agreed with those reported in polymer science textbooks.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.