Zhu Mingning, Lu Dongdong, Wu Shanglin, Lian Qing, Wang Wenkai, Milani Amir H, Cui Zhengxing, Nguyen Nam T, Chen Mu, Lyon L Andrew, Adlam Daman J, Freemont Anthony J, Hoyland Judith A, Saunders Brian R
School of Materials, University of Manchester, MSS Tower, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States.
ACS Macro Lett. 2017 Nov 21;6(11):1245-1250. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.7b00709. Epub 2017 Oct 25.
In this study a new pH-responsive nanogel probe containing a complementary nonradiative resonance energy transfer (NRET) fluorophore pair is investigated and its ability to act as a versatile probe of network-related changes in three hydrogels demonstrated. Fluorescent sensing using NRET is a powerful method for studying relationships between Angstrom length-scale structure and macroscopic properties of soft matter. Unfortunately, inclusion of NRET fluorophores into such materials requires material-specific chemistry. Here, low concentrations of preformed nanogel probes were included into hydrogel hosts. Ratiometric photoluminescence (PL) data for the gels labeled with the nanogel probes enabled pH-triggered swelling and deswelling to be studied as well as Ca-triggered collapse and solute release. PL measurements during compression of a nanogel probe-labeled nanocomposite gel demonstrated mechanochromic behavior and strain sensing. The new nanogel probes have excellent potential for investigating the internal structures of gels and provide a versatile ratiometric fluorescent platform for studying pH and strain.
在本研究中，对一种含有互补非辐射共振能量转移（NRET）荧光团对的新型pH响应性纳米凝胶探针进行了研究，并证明了其作为三种水凝胶中与网络相关变化的通用探针的能力。使用NRET的荧光传感是研究软物质的埃长度尺度结构与宏观性质之间关系的有力方法。不幸的是，将NRET荧光团纳入此类材料需要特定于材料的化学方法。在这里，将低浓度的预制纳米凝胶探针纳入水凝胶主体中。用纳米凝胶探针标记的凝胶的比率光致发光（PL）数据能够研究pH触发的溶胀和去溶胀以及Ca触发的塌陷和溶质释放。在压缩纳米凝胶探针标记的纳米复合凝胶期间进行的PL测量证明了机械变色行为和应变传感。新型纳米凝胶探针在研究凝胶内部结构方面具有出色的潜力，并为研究pH和应变提供了通用的比率荧光平台。
