title: Selective and sensitive fluorescent sensors for metal ions based on manipulation of side-chain compositions of poly(p-phenyleneethynylene)s.
abstract: The syntheses and metal-responsive properties of poly(p-phenyleenethynylene)s with grafted new pseudo-crown-ether groups are reported. These polymers exhibit high sensitivities to alkali ions because of their collective optical properties, which are very sensitive to ion-induced conformational changes. The quenching of polymer fluorescence caused by the conformational changes is proportional to the ion concentration. The selectivity of the sensing materials toward Li(+) ions is significantly enhanced by controlling the size of the binding site via manipulation of the polymer side-chain compositions. The polymers are very stable for their six-month solid-state storage at room temperature.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cuihua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Fen-Tair
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Haiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu