Abstract
Microcellular sensory polymers prepared from solid sensory polymeric films were tested in an aqueous Hg(II) detection process to analyze their sensory behavior. First, solid acrylic-based polymeric films of 100 µm thickness were obtained via radical copolymerization process. Secondly, dithizone sensoring motifs were anchored in a simple five-step route, obtaining handleable colorimetric sensory films. To create the microporous structure, films were foamed in a ScCO2 batch process, carried out at 350 bar and 60 °C, resulting in homogeneous morphologies with cell sizes around 5 µm. The comparative behavior of the solid and foamed sensory films was tested in the detection of mercury in pure water media at 2.2 pH, resulting in a reduction of the response time (RT) around 25% and limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) four times lower when using foamed films, due to the increase of the specific surface associated to the microcellular structure.
Highlights
Introduction and ObjectivesLimit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and response time (RT) are three key parameters for describing the behavior of chemosensors, and they are of special relevance for solid sensory polymers, e.g., sensory films, since their specific surface of these solids is low and, at the same time, the diffusion of target chemicals into the dense polymer structure is governed by Fick’s law and by their solubility
We have enhanced the performance of sensory polymer films by preparing foamed microcellular structures
Solid sensory films were foamed via ScCO2 foaming process, and detection of Hg(II) in aqueous solution was carried out, analyzing the behavior of both solid and foamed films in terms of response time and limit of detection
Summary
Introduction and ObjectivesLimit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and response time (RT) are three key parameters for describing the behavior of chemosensors, and they are of special relevance for solid sensory polymers, e.g., sensory films, since their specific surface of these solids is low and, at the same time, the diffusion of target chemicals into the dense polymer structure is governed by Fick’s law and by their solubility. Colorimetric chemosensory materials, are highly interesting analytical tools because they are inexpensive, they can be managed and can be used in situ by unskilled personnel to quantify target species in gas phase or in solution [1,2]. For this reason, it is essential to find ways for improving the performance of polymer chemosensors, in terms of the previously mentioned parameters (LOQ, LOD and RT), maintaining their chemical and physical properties without losing the advantage of detecting target species through simple processes, i.e., by putting into contact a small piece of polymer film with the measuring medium. One possible approach to reduce the LOQ, LOD and RT parameters would be an increase of the specific surface throughout the formation of a microcellular morphology, enhancing the diffusion rate of the aqueous solution into the material, keeping the manageability of the solid sensory films.
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