This research is designed to create organic polymer fibers doped with quantum dots that exhibit fluorescent properties. When exposed to certain chemicals these doped fibers should experience quenching of their emission spectra. Ideally, three separate polymers in combination with three different size quantum dots would provide a patterned response that would allow the differential identification of targeted chemicals. Polymethyl methacrylate has been found to readily carry quantum dots through the electrospinning process and creates a useable amount of fibrous material in order to test the next phase of this research. Polycaprolactone dissolved in chloroform was also successfully electrospun into suitable fibers and based upon their ability to dissolve in chloroform this combination is another viable option for electrospinning of polymer doped with quantum dots. The next step for this research will be to develop a combination of doped polymers that will differentiate between specified chemicals of interest.

Electrospinning of quantum dot-doped organic polymers for differential detection of targeted chemicals

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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