Abstract
Polystyrene microspheres (PSM) were obtained by emulsifier-free polymerization to coat polyacrylonitrile (PSM@PAN) as core/shell-structured microspheres of precursors. Core/shell polystyrene/polyvinyltetrazole (PSM@PVT) microspheres were obtained after a cyano-to-tetrazole conversion reaction loaded in an electrorheological display (ERD) that exhibits a low transmittance in the absence of an alternating electric field (AEF). The microspheres carrying negative and positive charges at two sides bound to each other as column-like structure along the direction of AEF enhancing the transmittance. Characteristic frequency (Fc), regarded as a mark to monitor the shell component, is defined to generate the highest degree of transmittance under an AEF. Fc of PSM@PVT shifted from 350 kHz to 100 kHz after the adsorption of lead(II) within the PVT coating. Transmittance of the ERD loading of PSM@PVT with lead(II) increased linearly with the concentration of lead(II). Approximately 30 ng mL−1 of the limit of detection was recognized within 10 s according to ERD transmittance under an AEF at 100 kHz. The Fc of the PSM@PVT absorbing the lead(II) was not influenced by the Na(I), K(I), Ca(II), Mg(II), Fe(III), and Zn(II) coexisting in the ERD. This platform provides a simple technology for heavy ion detection and may be a potential on-site ion-visualizing sensor.
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