Effect of Solvent Polarity
and Electrophilicity on
Quantum Yields and Solvatochromic Shifts of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube
Photoluminescence
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Abstract
In this work, we investigate the impact of the solvation
environment
on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) photoluminescence quantum
yield and optical transition energies (<i>E<sub>ii</sub></i>) using a highly charged aryleneethynylene polymer. This novel surfactant
produces dispersions in a variety of polar solvents having a wide
range of dielectric constants (methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, aqueous
dimethylformamide, and deuterium oxide). Because a common surfactant
can be used while maintaining a constant SWCNT–surfactant morphology,
we are able to straightforwardly evaluate the impact of the solvation
environment upon SWCNT optical properties. We find that (i) the SWCNT
quantum yield is strongly dependent on both the polarity and electrophilicity
of the solvent and (ii) solvatochromic shifts correlate with the extent
of SWCNT solvation. These findings provide a deeper understanding
of the environmental dependence of SWCNT excitonic properties and
underscore that the solvent provides a tool with which to modulate
SWCNT electronic and optical properties