Issue 2, 2015

Energy transfer within responsive pi-conjugated coassembled peptide-based nanostructures in aqueous environments

Abstract

Steady-state and time-resolved photophysical measurements demonstrate energy transfer within π-conjugated peptide nanostructures composed of oligo-(p-phenylenevinylene)-based donor units and quaterthiophene-based acceptor units in completely aqueous environments. These peptide-based assemblies encourage energy migration along the stacking axis, thus resulting in the quenching of donor emission peaks along with the development of new spectral features reminiscent of acceptor emission. These spectral changes were observed even at minute amounts of the acceptor (starting at 1 mol%), suggesting that exciton migration is involved in energy transport and supporting a funnel-like energy transduction mechanism. The reversibility of nanostructure formation and the associated photophysical responses under different conditions (pH, temperature) were also studied. This unique material design incorporates two different semiconducting units coassembled within peptide nanostructures and offers a new platform for the engineering of energy migration through bioelectronic materials in aqueous environments.

Graphical abstract: Energy transfer within responsive pi-conjugated coassembled peptide-based nanostructures in aqueous environments

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
11 Oct 2014
Accepted
30 Nov 2014
First published
05 Dec 2014
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 1474-1484

Energy transfer within responsive pi-conjugated coassembled peptide-based nanostructures in aqueous environments

H. A. M. Ardoña and J. D. Tovar, Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 1474 DOI: 10.1039/C4SC03122A

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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