FRET-Integrated Polymer Brushes for Spatially Resolved Sensing of Changes in Polymer Conformation

Besford QA, Yong H, Merlitz H, Christofferson AJ, Sommer JU, Uhlmann P, Fery A (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Angewandte Chemie International Edition Wiley

Book Volume: 60

Pages Range: 16600-16606

Journal Issue: 30

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202104204

Abstract

Polymer brush surfaces that alter their physical properties in response to chemical stimuli have the capacity to be used as new surface-based sensing materials. For such surfaces, detecting the polymer conformation is key to their sensing capabilities. Herein, we report on FRET-integrated ultrathin (<70 nm) polymer brush surfaces that exhibit stimuli-dependent FRET with changing brush conformation. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) polymers were chosen due their exceptional sensitivity to liquid mixture compositions and their ability to be assembled into well-defined polymer brushes. The brush transitions were used to optically sense changes in liquid mixture compositions with high spatial resolution (tens of micrometers), where the FRET coupling allowed for noninvasive observation of brush transitions around complex interfaces with real-time sensing of the liquid environment. Our methods have the potential to be leveraged towards greater surface-based sensing capabilities at intricate interfaces.

Involved external institutions

Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V. DE Germany (DE) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) AU Australia (AU)

How to cite

APA:

Besford, Q.A., Yong, H., Merlitz, H., Christofferson, A.J., Sommer, J.-U., Uhlmann, P., & Fery, A. (2021). FRET-Integrated Polymer Brushes for Spatially Resolved Sensing of Changes in Polymer Conformation. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 60(30), 16600-16606. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202104204

MLA:

Besford, Quinn A., et al. "FRET-Integrated Polymer Brushes for Spatially Resolved Sensing of Changes in Polymer Conformation." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 60.30 (2021): 16600-16606.

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