Ratiometric fluorescent ion detection in water with high sensitivity via aggregation-mediated fluorescence resonance energy transfer using a conjugated polyelectrolyte as an optical platform

Van Sang Le, Boram Kim, Wonho Lee, Ji Eun Jeong, Renqiang Yang, Han Young Woo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte was designed and synthesized based on poly(fluorene-co-phenylene) containing 5 mol% benzothiadiazole (BT) as a low energy trap and 15-crown-5 as a recognizing group for potassium ions. A potassium ion can form a sandwich-type 2:1 Lewis acid-based complex with 15-crown-5, to cause the intermolecular aggregation of polymers. This facilitates inter-chain fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to a low-energy BT segment, resulting in fluorescent signal amplification, even at dilute analyte concentrations. Highly sensitive and selective detection of K+ ions was demonstrated in water. The linear response of ratiometric fluorescent signal as a function of [K+] allows K+ quantification in a range of nanomolar concentrations with a detection limit of ≈0.7 × 10-9 M.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)772-778
Number of pages7
JournalMacromolecular Rapid Communications
Volume34
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013 May 14
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • aggregation
  • chemosensor
  • crown ether
  • fluorescence
  • potassium

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Materials Chemistry

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