Photon Harvesting in Conjugated Polymer-Based Functional Nanoparticles

The design of new generation light-harvesting systems based on conjugated polymer nanoparticles (PNPs) is an emerging field of research to convert solar energy into renewable energy. In this Perspective, we focus on the understanding of the light harvesting processes like exciton dynamics, energy transfer, antenna effect, charge carrier dynamics, and other related processes of conjugated polymer-based functional nanomaterials. Spectroscopic investigations unveil the rotational dynamics of the dye molecules inside of PNPs and exciton dynamics of the self-assembled structures. A detailed understanding of the cascade energy transfer for white light and singlet oxygen generation in multiple fluorophores containing a PNP system by time-resolved spectroscopy is highlighted. Finally, ultrafast spectroscopic investigations provide direct insight into the impacts of electron and hole transfer at the interface in the hybrid materials for photocatalysis and photocurrent generation to construct efficient light-harvesting systems.