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Dynamic Crystalline Nanofibers for Analyte-Specific Fluorescence Sensing
Lishan Sun1,2, Tianyan Zhang1,2, Zongjun Yu1,2
1Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Analytical Chemistry
|February 2, 2026
Summary
Dynamic molecular crystals offer a new platform for fluorescence sensing. These flexible crystals provide analyte-specific responses, enabling sensitive detection of amines and drugs in complex environments.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Chemical Sensing
Background:
- Dynamic molecular crystals possess inherent conformational flexibility, enabling tailored responses to analytes.
- Fluorescence sensing platforms require molecules with analyte-specific conformational and fluorescence changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a donor-acceptor (D-A) molecule with a D-D-A-D-D backbone for dynamic molecular crystal formation.
- To investigate the analyte-specific conformational and fluorescence responses of these crystals for sensing applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized a D-D-A-D-D molecule featuring a thiadiazolopyridine acceptor and carbazole donors.
- Investigated self-assembly into crystalline nanofibers with dynamic conformational twisting.
- Validated dynamic behavior through solvent-induced emission toggling (yellow-red).
- Demonstrated analyte binding-induced conformational changes and fluorescence responses.
Main Results:
- Crystalline nanofibers exhibited dynamic conformational twisting due to electrostatic repulsion and alkyl chain freedom.
- Rapid, reversible emission toggling observed upon solvent exposure/evaporation.
- Analyte binding triggered specific conformational changes, leading to distinct fluorescence variations (kinetics, intensity).
- Achieved multiplexed discrimination of amines with high selectivity and sensitivity.
- Detected amine-type drugs (methamphetamine, fentanyl) with detection limits as low as 1 ng.
- Demonstrated robustness in complex matrices like hair spray and car exhaust.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic molecular crystals offer a versatile platform for advanced fluorescence sensing.
- The developed D-A nanofibers enable multiplexed and highly sensitive detection of analytes.
- This approach expands signal diversity for sophisticated sensing applications.
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