Revisit of dye-anchored poly(vinyl alcohol) through strong experimental evidence and theoretical understanding for the development of a polymeric IMPLICATION logic gate

Abstract

Polymeric logic gates are those in which a polymer functions logically in terms of input(s) (chemical or physical) and output(s) (spectroscopic); and could be used for chemical sensing, bio-sensing, construction of memory devices, monitoring the biological spacer, and therapeutic technologies. An excellent water-soluble polymeric fluorescent probe (dye anchored polyvinyl alcohol, DAPVA) having a good quantum yield (0.0664) has been synthesized by a facile single-step acetalization of well-designed PVA with the fluorescent dye, 1-pyrenecarboxaldehyde (1-PA). The fluorescence property of the synthesized probe is quenched (turn off) and regenerated (turn on) with the sequential addition of Fe3+ and F−. This logical behavior led to the development of a simple and effective new polymeric IMPLICATION logic gate. The synthesized probe is characterized by FTIR, NMR, MALDI-TOF mass, absorption, emission, TCSPC, SEM, TEM, and DLS studies. Theoretical studies (DFT, MEP, and FMO) have been done to understand the optimized geometry, electronic distribution, and nature of the molecular orbitals of the DAPVA and DAPVA-Fe(III) complex. The anchoring of dye and quenching behavior of DAPVA with the addition of Fe3+ ion has been well-understood in the light of theoretical studies as well as experimental evidence. The developed logic gate has been used for the analysis of real samples like fruit juices, vitamin C tablets, and human blood serum.