Aránzazu Mendía

Universidad de Burgos | UBU · Department of Chemistry

Molecular recognition between two molecules that are chemically and geometrically compatible is a common phenomenon in the environment. Supramolecular Chemistry tries to mimic the effectivity and simplicity of these biological recognition processes, establishing the sensors or chemosensors research field. Current research is directed to the preparation of solid matrice —polymers—with chemically anchored selective receptors to avoid the migration of substances to the medium and to provide mechanical support. In addition, polymers can be specifically designed to be water-soluble or insoluble or to be transformed into finished materials with suitable mechanical and thermal properties. These so-called smart polymers are constantly being developed, broadening their scope in the detection of chemicals for applications related to the biomedical, environmental, food, and civil security fields. This growing research area motivates the launch of this Special Issue, aimed to discuss the latest research on the preparation of smart polymers as sensing materials for the detection of different target molecules in different application fields. an Open Access Journal by MDPI Smart Polymer-Based Chemical and Biological Sensors mdpi.

The aim of this Special Issue is to discuss the latest research on the preparation of smart polymers as sensing materials for the detection of different target molecules in different application fields

This project is focused on the design, development and study of new smart organic and hybrid (organic/inorganic) polymer materials. These are high value-added sensory materials for application in advanced technologies related to civil security (detection of explosives and chemical warfare agents), industry (detection of substances of industrial interest), biomedicine (detection and quantification of substances of medical interest), food (smart tag development for the detection of biogenic molecules to inform the consumer of the freshness of the food) and the environment (detection and quantification of cations and anions environmentally harmful). Molecules or substances to be detected (target) will be in the atmosphere, in gaseous phase (explosives, harmful molecules from the point of view of job security, biomolecules generated in the decomposition of food), or in aqueous solution (pollutant molecules, substances of industrial interest regarding their detection, quantification and concentration control). The developed materials, from the comprehensive synthesis thereof, are dense membranes (films), coatings of commercial commodity and high performance fibers, and integral micro and nanofibers. These are materials with good physical handling from which will be prepared: a) sensory strips or disks (from films); b) clothing with sensory parts to alert to the presence of target substances (labels prepared by coating of commercial fabrics); and c) labels and textiles from fibers obtained by electrospinning. Regarding the detection of target substances (cations, anions and neutral molecules), the designed sensory materials will behave as selective chromogenic and fluorogenic sensors to these targets. The detection will be in situ and at the time, and preferably through a noticeable change to the naked eye (chromogenic sensor materials). At the same time, fluorogenic sensory materials will also be prepared, which also allow for the in situ detection through irradiation with portable commercial ultraviolet lamps (365nm). The chromogenic probes, through color changes, have the advantage of visual detection and quantification, which can be used by non-specialists, while the fluorogenic are more sensitive, so that somehow they are complementary. The work includes the design and complete synthesis of functionalised materials: condensation (aromatic copolyamides) and addition of copolymers (acrylate polymers) that incorporate derivatives of azobenzene, kojic acid, TRIS, trinitrobenzene, pyrene, terpyridine, coumarins, or a combination of these, along with the complexes of these with different metals, specifically palladium, platinum, aluminium, iron and lanthanoids. All the copolymers will be characterized physically and chemically to determine: a) the structure–property relationships that govern the overall behavior of the materials, occasionally with the help of model compounds; and b) their performance as sensors (films, coated textiles and fabrics, and integral micro and nanofibers), both from a chromogenic and fluorogenic viewpoint.