Fluorescence of polymers: A probe of polymer assemblies

In this paper we discuss some general aspects of the use of fluorescence spectroscopy in the characterization of polymers and processes involving polymers. In particular we focus on the use of probes to detect formation of hydrophobic domains or to detect environmental changes because of solvation or pH changes, fluorescence quenching to determine the accessibility of the probe to solution phase small molecules, the use of fluorescence depolarization to characterize segmental motions and the use of energy transfer to characterize morphologies on the length scale of 1‐5 nm. We also will compare direct energy transfer (DET) with down‐chain electronic energy transfer (EET).