Abstract
Biopolymer-based optical hydrogels represent an emerging class of materials with potential applications in biocompatible integrated optoelectronic devices, bioimaging applications, and stretchable/flexible photonics. We have synthesized stimuli-responsive three-dimensional hydrogels from genetically engineered elastin-like polymers (ELPs) and have loaded these hydrogels with an amine-containing p-phenylenevinylene oligomer (OPPV) derivative featuring highly tunable, environmentally sensitive optical properties. The composite ELP/OPPV hydrogels exhibit both pH- and temperature-dependent fluorescence emission, from which we have characterized a unique optical behavior that emerged from OPPV within the hydrogel environment. By systematic comparison with free OPPV in solution, our results suggest that this distinct behavior is due to local electronic effects arising from interactions between the hydrophobic ELP microenvironment and the nonprotonated OPPV species at pH 7 or higher.
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