In this study we investigated the synergistic effects of the chirality (molecular structure) and surface morphology (nanostructure) of a newly designed sensing platform for the stereoselective recognition of biomolecules. We...

Although the performance of smart textiles would be enhanced if they could display self-cleaning ability toward various kinds of contamination, the procedures that have been used previously to impart the self-cleaning potential to these functional fabrics (solvent casting, dip coating, spin coating, surface crosslinking) have typically been expensive and/or limited by uncontrollable polymer thicknesses and morphologies. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of atomic transfer radical polymerization for the surface-initiated grafting of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam), a thermoresponsive polymer, onto cotton. We confirmed the thermoresponsiveness and reusability of the resulting fabric through water contact angle measurements and various surface characterization techniques (scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). Finally, we validated the self-cleaning performance of the fabric by washing away an immobilized fluorescent protein in deionized water under thermal stimulus. Fluorescence micrographs revealed that, after the fifth wash cycle, the fabric surface had undergone efficient self-cleaning of the stain, making it an effective self-cleaning material. This approach appears to have potential for application in the fields of smart textiles, responsive substrates, and functional fabrics.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) derivatives display a multitude of attractive properties such as high conductivity, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, and high thermal stability. As a result, they show promise for applications in materials and biomedical engineering. In order to increase their applications in the practical domain, trivial fabrication techniques are required. Here, we present a simple layer-by-layer dip methodology to assemble water-soluble PEDOT derivatives that can then be disassembled via electrical stimulation. As a result, a dynamic PEDOT layered system is fabricated and could be applied as responsive materials for bioengineering. PEDOT-SO 3 and PEDOT-NMe 3 are synthesized via direct C-H arylation polymerization and chemical polymerization, respectively. The electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged SO 3 − and NMe 3 + enabled the stacking of PEDOT derivatives. The layer-by-layer assemblies are confirmed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and profilometer. Morphological analyses are performed using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, which revealed that the polymer coatings are uniform without any cracks. In situ material assembly is studied using quartz crystal microbalance, and we also demonstrate that these PEDOT-derivative assemblies can be disintegrated by electrical stimulation. Cyclic voltammetry shows a proportional increase in stored charge density with the increase in bilayer thickness, confirming stable electroactivity of these assemblies. Using this approach, we can assemble conductive bio interface on both conductive and nonconductive surfaces, expanding the capability to fabricate bioelectronic electrodes.