Scorpion-inspired fluorescent polymers

Abstract

Scorpions are capable of collecting light energy and transforming it into fluorescent information. Herein, we report a chemical approach to synthesizing a scorpion-inspired polymer material to mimic the functionality of a scorpion. A natural product from the exuviae of a scorpion was chemically modified into divinyl macrocyclic diphthalate ester (DVMDE). We then proceeded with free radical polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) and acrylic acid (AA), with DVMDE as a crosslinking agent, to produce a polymer film (named PMAD). The film of PMAD demonstrates a high mechanical stress of 3.7 MPa at a rupture strain of 1357%. The film containing the elements of DVMDE exhibits light transmission in the visible range, emitting visible blue fluorescence in response to UV irradiation. This biomimetic feature offers the film of PMAD promising potential for anti-counterfeit ink or coating. More importantly, the film exhibits strong bacteriostatic capability against a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria, making it suitable for medical devices. It is expected that this work will provide a new alternative for making multifunctional polymer materials for biomedical applications.