Angle-independent pH-sensitive composites with natural gyroid structure.
pH sensor is an important and practical device with a wide application in environmental protection field and biomedical industries. An efficient way to enhance the practicability of intelligent polymer composed pH sensor is to subtilize the three-dimensional microstructure of the materials, adding measurable features to visualize the output signal. In this work, C. rubi wing scales were combined with pH-responsive smart polymer polymethylacrylic acid (PMAA) through polymerization to achieve a colour-tunable pH sensor with nature gyroid structure. Morphology and reflection characteristics of the novel composites, named G-PMAA, are carefully investigated and compared with the original biotemplate, C. rubi wing scales. The most remarkable property of G-PMAA is a single-value corresponding relationship between pH value and the reflection peak wavelength (λmax), with a colour distinction degree of 18 nm/pH, ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of the output. The pH sensor reported here is totally reversible, which is able to show the same results after several detection circles. Besides, G-PMAA is proved to be not influenced by the detection angle, which makes it a promising pH sensor with superb sensitivity, stability, and angle-independence.
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Ruiyang
R
Xue
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Wang
W
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Peng
P
Sun
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Imran
I
Zada
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Cuiping
C
Guo
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Qinglei
Q
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Jiajun
J
Gu
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Huilan
H
Su
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
Di
D
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002080:Butterflies / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry*; D003116:Color; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D055096:Optical Devices; D058105:Polymerization; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry*
D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids