Issue 24, 2020

Europium based coordination polyelectrolytes enable core–shell–corona micelles as luminescent probes

Abstract

Core–shell–corona (CSC) micelles have multiple layers, which can serve as separate compartments. This property allows them to combine multiple functionalities in a single nanoparticle, with obvious application potential. Here, we propose a new type of CSC micelles with an apolar core and a polyelectrolyte complex shell incorporating coordination polymers. We obtain these particles by using a poly(styrene)-b-poly(vinyl pyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PVP-b-PEO) triblock copolymer with quaternized PVP blocks. This polymer leads to well-defined CSC micelles with a cationic shell, which allows us to entrap anionic coordination polymers without disturbing the micellar structure. Useful properties can be imported in this way, e.g., europium (Eu)-based coordination polymers endow the CSC micelles with strong luminescence. Moreover, copper ions (Cu2+) can quench the luminescence because they disturb the Eu–ligand coordination. Upon adding sulfide ions (S2−), copper ions precipitate as CuS and the Eu–ligand bond as well as the corresponding luminescence are restored. This effect is highly specific for Cu2+ and S2−: other cations or anions hardly interfere with this “on–off–on” luminescence response towards Cu2+ and S2−, demonstrating the selectivity of these CSC micelles as detectors of copper and sulfide ions.

Graphical abstract: Europium based coordination polyelectrolytes enable core–shell–corona micelles as luminescent probes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Apr 2020
Accepted
25 May 2020
First published
26 May 2020

Soft Matter, 2020,16, 5727-5733

Europium based coordination polyelectrolytes enable core–shell–corona micelles as luminescent probes

C. Wei, P. Ding, X. Nie, M. A. Cohen Stuart and J. Wang, Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 5727 DOI: 10.1039/D0SM00598C

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