Water-soluble conjugated polyelectrolytes

Water-soluble conjugated polyelectrolytes (WSCPs) are novel types of conjugated polymers which contain ionic side chains, hence they are soluble in water and some other polar organic solvents. These polymers combine the optoelectronic advantages of traditional conjugated polymers with water solubility and ionic nature of polyelectrolytes. This research field is becoming more and more attractive due to their unique optoelectronic properties that may serve as the basis for a new generation of optoelectronic devices and bio/chemical sensors. In this paper, we summarize the synthetic methods, structure features and photophysical properties of WSCPs developed in recent ten years, and their applications in a new generation of optoelectronic devices and bio-chemical detection. On this basis, we point out the existent problems in the present research and applications of WSCPs, and also give a perspective on their future.