Polydiacetylene-based gels for solvent discrimination and formation of Au/Ag nanoparticles with embedded photocatalytic performance. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Song, Wenjun; Li, Yajuan; Geng, Lijun; Feng, Guoliang; Ren, Jujie; Yu, Xudong
• Is Part Of: Materials & design. Volume 205(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: Solvent discrimination -- Low-molecular-weight gel -- Polymeric gel -- Polydiacetylene -- Stimuli-responsive -- Metallogel; Materials -- Periodicals; Engineering design -- Periodicals; Matériaux -- Périodiques; Conception technique -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109744
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-1275

Abstract

Graphic abstract: Highlights: Pollutant sensing, absorption and function particle formation could be obtained by PDA gels. Eu 3+ /O-TPY-DA gel could sense organic solvents with high selectivity and dual signal outputs. PDA gel could absorb Ag + /Au 3+ from aqueous solution, followed by functional nanoparticle formation. Ag/Au based PDA hybrids demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic performance toward p-nitrophenol. This work fused the concepts from pollutant sensing and waste to health. Abstract: two novel gelators N-TPY-DA and O-TPY-DA were designed. By introduction of Eu 3+ followed by UV-irradiation, Eu 3+ /O-TPY-PDA polymeric gel with dark purple color and red emission color was obtained. Furthermore, colorimetric and fluorescent sensor arrays toward organic solvents could be obtained by Eu 3+ /O-TPY-PDA gels. Eu 3+ /O-TPY-PDA gel showed dark purple-to-red color response toward organic solvents such as CH2 Cl2, CHCl3, THF and DMF. On the other hand, DMF and methanol both triggered red-to-blue emission color changes of Eu 3+ /O-TPY-DA gel. The two solvents could be further discriminated by fluorescent spectral difference. Furthermore, O-TPY-PDA or N-TPY-PDA gel could be also utilized to absorb Ag + or Au 3+ from aqueous solutions. By in situ reduction, the obtained fibrous xerogel assembly embedded with Ag or Au nanoparticles had enhanced photocatalytic performance. This work showed how a simple gel system converts to materials with multiple functions including pollutant sensing, absorption and functional nanoparticle formation.