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Cr(VI)-Responsive Ink with Four-Dimensional Printing of an Ultracompact Hydrogel Optical Fiber Microsensor
Haoqiang Huang1,2, Dezhi Zhu1,3,2, Ying Wang1,2
1Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultrafast Laser Micro/Nano Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
ACS Sensors
|February 7, 2025
Summary
A new hydrogel optical microsensor detects trace hexavalent chromium ions [Cr(VI)] in water. Femtosecond laser direct writing enables ultracompact, highly specific smart sensors for environmental monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Hydrogels offer stimuli-responsiveness and biocompatibility for smart sensors.
- Traditional fabrication methods limit hydrogel microstructure complexity and integration for microfluidic sensors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an intelligent hydrogel optical microsensor for real-time detection of trace hexavalent chromium ions [Cr(VI)] in water.
- To leverage femtosecond laser direct writing for creating ultracompact, sophisticated hydrogel microstructures.
Main Methods:
- Developed a Cr(VI)-responsive hydrogel ink (3-acrylamidopropyl-trimethyammonium chloride - ACTC) with high printing resolution (~250 nm).
- Utilized a multimaterial two-photon polymerization (TPP) strategy with femtosecond laser direct writing to fabricate a fiber-tip Fabry-Perot cavity (FPC) Cr(VI) microsensor.
- Characterized the microsensor for size, specificity, and detection limit.
Main Results:
- Fabricated an ultracompact hydrogel microsensor (~100 μm) with high specificity for trace liquid samples.
- Achieved a low detection limit of 1.48 × 10-9 M for Cr(VI), enabling rapid detection.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of on-chip direct writing for smart hydrogel microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors.
Conclusions:
- Femtosecond laser direct writing enables the creation of advanced, ultracompact hydrogel microstructures for integrated sensors.
- The developed Cr(VI) microsensor offers a sensitive and specific platform for environmental monitoring.
- This technology provides a promising approach for developing MEMS sensors in analytical science and environmental protection.
