F�rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is the result of energy transfer through dipole-dipole interactions between an excited state donor molecule with an acceptor molecule in the ground or lower excited state in a spherical interaction volume. FRET has been studied extensively in the past due to its reliance on proximity (10 � 30 nm) for the energy transfer with primary application to biological systems for the detection of interplay between biomolecules.Previous research at NIST has applied FRET to measure the component interphase of a composite. However, this system employed donor dye dispersed freely in the matrix. The development of dyes functionalized for covalent incorporation into polymer composites in the matrix or reinforcing component is desirable, for the dyes would no longer be prone to migration during heating processes. In this work, a coumarin derivative was functionalized for covalent incorporation into an epoxy matrix to optimize FRET pairing with fluorescein labeled nanoparticles. The coumarin monomer was shown to have high Stoke shift (70 nm) and an emission peak at (476 nm) that makes this monomer an ideal donor for fluorescein. Development of this system will allow for the study of polymer composites. This can be applied to composites containing fibers with different aspect ratios or surface area to aid in the design and characterization of composite systems.

Synthesis of a coumarin based fluorescently labeled epoxy monomer

246th National Meeting (2013)

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