Conjugated polyelectrolytes and methods of using the same

Abstract

Various embodiments disclosed relate to conjugated polyelectrolytes and methods of using the same. Various embodiments provide a conjugated polyelectrolyte including a subunit having the structure —R—Y—R—Z—. At each occurrence, Ris independently chosen from 1,4-bonded phenylene substituted by —X—R—Rj times and 2,5-bonded thiophene substituted by —X—R—Rj times. At each occurrence, Y is independently chosen from a bond and —C≡C—. At each occurrence, Ris independently chosen from a bond, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene, thiophenylene, azulenylene, heptalenylene, biphenylene, indacenylene, fluorenylene, phenanthrenylene, triphenylenylene, pyrenylene, naphthacenylene, chrysenylene, biphenylenylene, anthracenylene, and naphthylene. At each occurrence, Z is independently chosen from a bond and —C≡C—. The variables j, R, and Rare as defined herein.