Polydiacetylene(PDA) is a colorimetric polymer owing to a brilliant blue-to-red color transition that takes place in response to environmental perturbations. Also, it already has been known that �blue-phase� PDAs are nonfluorescent while their �red-phase� counterparts fluorescence. Owing to the color (blue-to-red) and fluorescence (non-to-fluorescent) changes, PDA is an ideal choice for use as a chemosensor. PDAs have been actively used as sensory materials for the detection of biologically, environmentally, and chemically-important target molecules. Diacetylene amphiphiles are self-aseembled into a variety of forms that can be modified for various detection applications, and be photopolymerized to generate PDA in situ. PDA provides optical signal generation arising from changes in the absorption and emission spectra of the conjugated backbone caused by interaction with the target materials. PDA is made by 1,4-addition between neighbored diacetylenic monomers, initiated by ultraviolet(UV) irradiation. The polymer which is formed by exposure to UV irradiation is intensely blue to the eye, because of electronic delocalization within the conjugated framework, generating absorption at around 650nm in the visible region to electromagnetic spectrum.It would be meaningful to detect many harmful metals like lead and copper ions with naked eyes. Among the metal ions, Pb2+ is one of the important targets because of the adverse health effects of lead exposure, particularly in children. It is reported that lead exposure can cause memory loss, irritability, anemia, muscle paralysis, and mental retardation. However, there are few reports on the use of fluorescence or UV changes to detect these harmful metal ions. And a new method for visual detection of Cu2+ based on azide- and alkyne-functionalized polydiacetylene (PDA-aa) vesicles has been developed. This method provides a naked eye detection of Cu2+ in water without the aid of complex instruments.

Novel conjugated polydiacetylenes as effective colorimetric and fluorometric sensors for metal ions

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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