Veríssimo Nathalia Vieira Porphirio, Frota Elionio Galvão, Teixeira Juliana Barone, de Carvalho Santos-Ebinuma Valéria, de Souza Oliveira Ricardo Pinheiro
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Doutor Zeferino Vaz, s/n, Ribeirão Preto, 14040-903, Brazil.
Laboratory of Microbial Biomolecules, Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
J Fluoresc. 2025 May;35(5):3385-3392. doi: 10.1007/s10895-024-03776-9. Epub 2024 May 23.
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is a fascinating phenomenon where specific molecules exhibit enhanced fluorescence upon aggregation. This unique property has revolutionized the design and development of new fluorescent materials for different applications, from biosensors and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) to biomedical imaging and diagnostics. Researchers are creating sensitive and selective sensing platforms, opening new avenues in material science and engineering by harnessing the potential of AIE. To expand the knowledge in this field, this study explored the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties of two polymers, namely polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polypropylene glycol (PPG) of low molecular weight (MW) using fluorescence spectroscopy and absorbance (UV). PEG-300 and PPG-725 were the most fluorescent polymers at UV of the ten investigated. Interestingly, AIE did not correlate linearly with molecular weight (MW), and monobutyl ether substitution in PEG with a similar MW substantially altered its AIE. Furthermore, fluorescence precisely quantified low polymer concentrations in water, and non-aqueous solvents suppressed AIE, suggesting potential for AIE manipulation. These findings enhance our understanding of AIE in polymers, fostering the development of novel materials for applications such as biosensors.
聚集诱导发光（AIE）是一种引人入胜的现象，特定分子在聚集时会表现出增强的荧光。这一独特性质彻底改变了新型荧光材料的设计与开发，使其可应用于从生物传感器、有机发光二极管（OLED）到生物医学成像与诊断等不同领域。研究人员正在创建灵敏且具选择性的传感平台，通过利用AIE的潜力在材料科学与工程领域开辟新途径。为拓展该领域的知识，本研究利用荧光光谱法和吸光度（紫外）研究了两种低分子量（MW）聚合物——聚乙二醇（PEG）和聚丙二醇（PPG）的聚集诱导发光（AIE）性质。在十种被研究的聚合物中，PEG - 300和PPG - 725在紫外光下是荧光性最强的聚合物。有趣的是，AIE与分子量（MW）并非线性相关，且具有相似分子量的PEG中的单丁醚取代显著改变了其AIE。此外，荧光能精确量化水中的低聚物浓度，非水溶剂会抑制AIE，这表明存在操纵AIE的潜力。这些发现增进了我们对聚合物中AIE的理解，推动了用于生物传感器等应用的新型材料的开发。
