Surfactant-induced fluorescence enhancement of a quinoline-coumarin derivative in aqueous solutions and dropcast films

•Fluorescent aggregates of a quinoline-coumarin derivative in aqueous solutions, with equilibrium between neutral and cationic forms.•Marked fluorescence enhancement micellized monomers.•Prtonation in micelles with negatively charged Stern layer as well as neutral, but water containing palisade layer.•Aggregation induced enhancement of emission in dropcast film.•Comprehensive investigation using time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy.