Artificial light-harvesting supramolecular polymeric nanoparticles formed by pillar[5]arene-based host–guest interaction

Abstract

Artificial light-harvesting nanoparticles were prepared from supramolecular polymers comprised of pillar[5]arene with anthracene-derived donors and acceptors through host-guest interactions. The resulting water-dispersible nanoparticles displayed efficient energy transfer and excellent light harvesting ability in part because the steric bulk of pillar[5]arene suppressed the self-quenching of the chromophores.

A Conjugated Polymeric Supramolecular Network with Aggregation‐Induced Emission Enhancement: An Efficient Light‐Harvesting System with an Ultrahigh Antenna Effect

“…The former not only requires an ordered and tight arrangement of the donors but also needs to, in the meantime, suppress aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) that frequently arises owing to such kind of compact arrangement, whereas the latter requires both energy matching and a suitable distance (less than 10 nm) between the donor and the acceptor. Efficient ALHSs commonly take advantage of sophisticated self‐assembly structures, such as nanocrystals, metal complexes, biohybrid complexes, dendrimers, supramolecular polymers with a small‐molecule host, gels, amphiphilic vesicles, and micelles . ALHSs based on supramolecular assemblies have been reported, for example, including a supramolecular polymeric nanoparticle system based on a small‐molecule pillar[5]arene dimer, a cyclodextrin‐based micelle system, and a water‐soluble‐pillar[6]arene‐based micelle system .…”

“…Efficient ALHSs commonly take advantage of sophisticated self‐assembly structures, such as nanocrystals, metal complexes, biohybrid complexes, dendrimers, supramolecular polymers with a small‐molecule host, gels, amphiphilic vesicles, and micelles . ALHSs based on supramolecular assemblies have been reported, for example, including a supramolecular polymeric nanoparticle system based on a small‐molecule pillar[5]arene dimer, a cyclodextrin‐based micelle system, and a water‐soluble‐pillar[6]arene‐based micelle system . The antenna effect (AE), a widely used empirical parameter to evaluate light‐harvesting efficiency, of these systems reached 22, 32.5, and 28, respectively.…”

“…Interestingly, AE of CPSN in solid film reached 90.4(±11.5) and 58.9(±4.1) for GY and GR , respectively, with the RU / G ratio of 1000:1 (Figure S49 e,f, and Table S6). These AE values were much higher than those recently reported for ALHS based on the small host molecules, and those determined for NPH ‐ G systems in solid film (Figure S50). Moreover, the donor/acceptor ratio of 1000:1 was quite high.…”

Advanced Functional Materials Constructed from Pillar[n]arenes

“…In 2018, Yang and co-workers reported an artificial lightharvesting nanoparticles constructed by pillar [5]arene and anthracene modified donors and acceptors through hostÀguest interactions. [25] In this work, they first prepared ternary supramolecular polymers (GD + GA + bisP5A) formed by hostÀguest interaction, which could be used to prepare waterdispersible nanoparticles (LHSPNPs) by using the microemulsion method ( Figure 3). LHSPNPs displayed efficient energy transfer and high light harvesting ability because of the steric bulk of pillar [5]arene suppressing the self-quenching of the chromophores.…”

“…Chemical structures of disulfide-bridged bispillar[5]arene (bisP5A) and the guest molecules (energy donor: GD and energy acceptor: GA); cartoon representations of bisP5 A, GD, GA, their supramolecular polymers and the light-harvesting supramolecular polymeric nanoparticles (LHSPNPs); and the schematic light-harvesting paths in the LHSPNPs. Reprinted with permission from Ref [25]…”