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Sulfhydryl-functionalized anisotropic photonic crystal hydrogels for visual Hg2+ detection and adsorption in cinnabar
Yang Qiu1, Jiaxin Yang1, Jun Zhou1
1State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Emissions of mercury ions from human activities during mining and smelting processes cannot be overlooked due to their potential for environmental pollution. Consequently, developing a material that offers both visual detection capability and efficient adsorption for Hg2+ is crucial. Inspired by cephalopod skin, we have prepared a sulfhydryl-functionalized anisotropic photonic crystal hydrogel (PDGI/PAAm-SH). The bilayer structure of polydodecyl glyceryl itaconate (PDGI) is immobilized and stabilized within the sulfhydryl-functionalized polyacrylamide network after polymerization. The porous structure of hydrogel facilitates the adsorption of Hg2+ in solution, resulting in a blue shift in structural color, which allows for visual detection. The PDGI/PAAm-SH effectively adsorbs and removes Hg2+ from water, with an impressive uptake capacity of 129.06 mmol kg-1. Additionally, this hydrogel exhibits good reproducibility, excellent mechanical properties, and remarkable selectivity for Hg2+. It can shield interference from other ions during detection and shows promising applications in environmental monitoring and purification.
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