In Situ Water-Compatible Polymer Entrapment: A Strategy for Transferring Superhydrophobic Microporous Organic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Microporous organic polymer nanoparticles (MOPTs) are functional materials with tunable properties.
• Tetraphenylethylene (TPE) moieties are known for their aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics.
• Developing water-compatible nanomaterials for sensing applications is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize MOPTs in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) to form MOPT-P.
• To investigate the effect of PVP on the properties of MOPTs, including water compatibility and sensing capabilities.
• To evaluate the performance of MOPT-P for the detection of nitrophenols in aqueous media.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of MOPTs with entrapped PVP (MOPT-P).
• Characterization of MOPT and MOPT-P, including water contact angle measurements.
• Evaluation of the AIE properties of MOPT-P for nitrophenol sensing in water.
• Assessment of the recyclability of MOPT-P for sensing applications.

Main Results:

• MOPTs without PVP exhibited superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 151°).
• MOPT-P demonstrated excellent water compatibility.
• MOPT-P showed effective emission-based sensing of nitrophenols in water with high Stern-Volmer constants (Ksv).
• MOPT-P functioned effectively in water without additional organic solvents and was reusable for at least five sensing cycles.

Conclusions:

• PVP incorporation into MOPTs significantly enhances water compatibility and enables AIE-based sensing in aqueous environments.
• MOPT-P represents a promising, reusable platform for the selective and sensitive detection of nitrophenols.
• The developed MOPT-P system offers an environmentally friendly approach for chemical sensing, utilizing water as the sole medium.