Cu2+ ions, Firefighter of Light-Emitting Material
Cu2+ ions, Firefighter of Light-Emitting Material
  • Reporter Choi Na-youn
  • 승인 2013.09.25 15:26
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Professor Moon Jeong Park (CHEM) developed a new light-emitting material, using pol- ystyrenesulfonate (PSS) and succeeded in creating a str- ucture that contains wavelengths of fluorescence emission that areblue and green. The structure is expected to be a detective sensor of Cu2+ ions due to its highly-sensitive nature.
Up to now, the research team has focused on changing fluorescent macromolecules made of conjugated polymers to non-conjugated block copolymers because it is difficult to synthesize and dissolve conjugated polymers. PSS is a non-conjugated block copolymer, which can solve these problems, since it cannot perform self-quenching behavior when it is formed into thin films or solid. This achievement is the first example of a non-conjugated block copolymer showing fluorescence presented to the academic world.
Furthermore, the research team revealed that when PSS is integrated into a nano-sized molecule, PSS loses its light once it reacts with Cu2+ ion. PSS responds to ppb levels within a minute, which is ten times more sensitive than the existing Cu2+ ions sensors.