Abstract: Photovoltaic cells containing nucleic acid materials and methods of production and use are provided. The nucleic acid materials have photovoltaic donor and acceptor molecules incorporated therein and define a spatial organization and orientation for these molecules that inhibits recombination of excitons and promotes efficiency in the photovoltaic cell. Preferred nucleic acid materials contain nucleic acid molecules complexed with ionic surfactants and are in the form of films, fibers, nanofibers, or non-woven meshes.

Abstract: Nucleic acid materials for FRET-based luminescence and methods of making and using the nucleic acid materials are provided. The nucleic acid materials provide an innovative and synergistic combination of three disparate elements: a nucleic acid material, the processing technique for forming a nucleic acid material into films, fibers, nanofibers, or non-woven meshes, and nonradiative energy transfer. This combination can be formed into electrospun fibers, nanofibers, and non-woven meshes of a nucleic acid material-cationic lipid complex with encapsulated chromophores capable of nonradiative energy transfer such as efficient Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET).