A bicarboxaminoquinoline-based ratiometric fluorescent sensor for the sequential detection of Zn2+ and PPi

A new ratiometric fluorescent sensor (LP) based on bicarboxaminoquinoline was designed and synthesized for sequentially recognizing Zn2+ and PPi. In aqueous solution, LP exhibited the ratiometric fluorescence response towards Zn2+, along with the about 4-folds enhancement of fluorescence quantum yield. Subsequently, the LP-Zn2+ complex displayed the fluorescence recovery upon adding PPi through the displacement strategy. And the LODs of LP and its Zn2+ complex for sensing Zn2+ and PPi were found to be 15 nM and 5.5 nM, respectively. Notably, the reversibility of LP for sequentially sensing Zn2+ and PPi had been employed to construct the INHIBIT logic gate. Moreover, LP and its Zn2+ complex had been successfully utilized for the detection of Zn2+ and PPi in two real water samples and cells imaging.

Hectorite/Phenanthroline-Based Nanomaterial as Fluorescent Sensor for Zn Ion Detection: A Theoretical and Experimental Study

The development of fluorescent materials that can act as sensors for the determination of metal ions in biological fluids is important since they show, among others, high sensitivity and specificity. However, most of the molecules that are used for these purposes possess a very low solubility in aqueous media, and, thus, it is necessary to adopt some derivation strategies. Clay minerals, for example, hectorite, as natural materials, are biocompatible and available in large amounts at a very low cost that have been extensively used as carrier systems for the delivery of different hydrophobic species. In the present work, we report the synthesis and characterization of a hectorite/phenanthroline nanomaterial as a potential fluorescent sensor for Zn ion detection in water. The interaction of phenanthroline with the Ht interlaminar space was thoroughly investigated, via both theoretical and experimental studies (i.e., thermogravimetry, FT-IR, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies and XRD measurements), while its morphology was imaged by scanning electron microscopy. Afterwards, the possibility to use it as sensor for the detection of Zn2+ ions, in comparison to other metal ions, was investigated through fluorescent measurements, and the stability of the solid Ht/Phe/Zn complex was assessed by different experimental and theoretical measurements.

Brush-like polymers: design, synthesis and applications

With the development of controlled polymerisation, almost all polymerisation strategies have been successfully transplanted to surface-initiated polymerisation. The resulting polymer brushes have emerged as an effective tool for surface functionalization and modulation of the surface properties of materials. To meet various demands it is possible to tailor a material surface with polymer brushes that have diverse dimensionalities, morphologies and compositions. The crowded environment within polymer brushes as well as the stretched conformation of polymer chains sometimes provide unique physicochemical properties, which lead to the delicate creation of inorganic-organic hybridised nanostructures, anti-fouling coatings, biomedical carriers, and materials for use in lubrication, photonics and energy storage. So far, challenges remain in the high-precision synthesis and topological control needed to realize extended applications of polymer brushes. In this Feature Article, we highlight the topology, potential application prospects and various synthetic protocols, particularly for recently established methods, for the efficient synthesis of polymer brushes, as well as their benefits and limitations.