Issue 15, 2022

Aggregation induced emission (AIE) active cross-linked poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-tetra(phenyl)ethene di-acrylates): sensors for effective nitroaromatics detection in an aqueous environment

Abstract

Aggregation induced emission (AIE) active cross-linked copolymers CP1-4 with high molecular weights (12 700–14 100) and low polydispersity indices (1.2–1.3) were prepared through copolymerization of N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) and tetra(phenyl)ethene (TPE)-based acrylate dimers. CP1-4 show comparable thermal stability to poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), while their glass transition temperatures are higher by 11–13 °C than that of pristine PNIPAM. CP1-4 are soluble in common organic solvents and water. They are thermally sensitive like PNIPAM, with reduced lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) associated with higher TPE content. CP1-4 show typical AIE properties, which are similar to those of reported linear copolymers LP1-4. The fluorescence of CP1-4 in pure water could be significantly quenched by a wide range of nitroaromatics, including picric acid (PA), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 4-nitrotoluene (NT). Nevertheless, the detection sensitivity of CP1-4 could be greatly improved through a collapsing-swelling process, in which the formation and interaction of non-covalent bonding between TPE groups and nitroaromatic molecules are significantly enhanced, resulting in reduced detection levels as low as 0.25 μg mL−1 or 0.25 ppm. Thus, CP1-4 has the potential for highly sensitive detection of a variety of nitroaromatics in aqueous environments.

Graphical abstract: Aggregation induced emission (AIE) active cross-linked poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-tetra(phenyl)ethene di-acrylates): sensors for effective nitroaromatics detection in an aqueous environment

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Dec 2021
Accepted
04 Mar 2022
First published
07 Mar 2022

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022,10, 5856-5863

Aggregation induced emission (AIE) active cross-linked poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-tetra(phenyl)ethene di-acrylates): sensors for effective nitroaromatics detection in an aqueous environment

F. Liu, Y. Ren, H. Lau, B. Z. Tang and H. Zhou, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022, 10, 5856 DOI: 10.1039/D1TC06068F

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