Dual-sensing porphyrin-containing copolymer nanosensor as full-spectrum colorimeter and ultra-sensitive thermometer

Abstract

A porphyrin-containing copolymer has dual-sensing in response to metal ions and temperature as a novel nanosensor. Triggered by ions, the sensor exhibits full-color tunable behavior as a cationic detector and colorimeter. Responding to temperature, the sensor displays an "isothermal" thermochromic point as an ultra-sensitive thermometer.

Thermometry at the nanoscale

“…Other thermometers are based on the temperature dependence of an intensity ratio (the ratiometric thermometers listed above), and on the change of the wavelength at which absorption 132,146 or fluorescence 136 is maximum. The ratiometric thermometer reported by Pietsch et al 77 uses the excimers-to-monomers emission intensity ratio of pyrene.…”

“…The most explored polymers are PNIPAM, which has a lower critical solution transition at 305 K, 6,20,78,[127][128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137][138][139] together with others polymers of the same family, such as NNPAM or NIP-MAM. 134 Other examples include PEG-based polymers, Table 2 and Fig.…”

Novel multi-responsive polymer materials: When ionic liquids step in

“…General MRPMs with ionic response consist of amino-, acylamino-, or carboxy-group in their structure and even a special structure unit for the complexation with metal ions or ionic groups [34], prepared by a complex multistep synthesis [35,36]. Obviously, the counter-ion structure must be decided together with the ionic group in MRPMs and can be difficult to change, or assemble in positive/negative ion pairs.…”

When dual and multi-responsiveness meet molecular brushes

“…In order to realize the sensitivity to different ions, specific moiety must be contained in the polymer, such as crown ether or porphyrin [91,92]. Due to the unique cavity structures, they can selectively incorporate the metal ions into the cavity and form conjugate complexes.…”