Excimer Studies on Copolymer of Styrene-Acrylic Acid

Copolymers (PSAA) of styrene-acrylic acid were prepared through a free radical mechanism using azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. The fluorescence emission spectra of PSAA and the styrene-acrylic acid copolymers complexed with (PSAA-Eu) were studied. The excimer fluorescence, centered at 330 nm, increases when the styrene mole fraction increases. Since the excimer fluorescence intensities of PSAA-EU, PSAA-Tb and PSAA-Eu-Tb were almost same, it appears that the kind of metal ion does not affect the excimer fluorescence. An interpretation of the results which takes into account the statistical composition of the copolymers, indicates that energy migration can occur from isolated to non-isolated styrene units.