A fluorescence methodology for assessing the polarity and composition of novel thermoresponsive hydrophylic/hydrophobic copolymer system

Boguslaw Szczupak; Alan G. Ryder; Yuri A. Rochev; Andrey S. Klymchenko; Alexander Gorelov; Thomas J. Glynn

doi:10.1117/12.605117

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3 June 2005 A fluorescence methodology for assessing the polarity and composition of novel thermoresponsive hydrophylic/hydrophobic copolymer system (Invited Paper)

Boguslaw Szczupak, Alan G. Ryder, Yuri A. Rochev, Andrey S. Klymchenko, Alexander Gorelov, Thomas J. Glynn

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Proceedings Volume 5826, Opto-Ireland 2005: Optical Sensing and Spectroscopy; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.605117
Event: OPTO-Ireland, 2005, Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

The use of designed polymer coatings for specific applications such as drug delivery or modifying cell response is a critical aspect of medical device manufacturing. The chemical composition and physical characteristics of thin polymer coatings need to be analysed in-situ and this can present difficulties for traditional analytical methods. For example, changes in the polarity of polymer coatings are typically measured using the contact angle (CA) method. This is a simple process and gives good results however; it cannot be used to measure very hydrophilic polymers, or to analyse features smaller than a couple of mm in size. There is a need for a non-contact method for polarity measurement that is suitable for hydrophilic polymers on a macro- and microscopic scale. 4'-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone (FE), 5, 6-benzo-4'-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone (BFE), and 4'-diethylamino-3-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (MFE) are fluorescence probes based on 3-hydroxyflavone. They respond to environment perturbations by shift and changes in the relative intensity of two well-separated bands in the emission spectra. These bands originate from an excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction. We have incorporated FE, BFE, and MFE into a novel thermoresponsive hydrophilic/hydrophobic copolymer system (NIPAM-NtBA) and studied its fluorescence behaviour. The fluorescence emission spectra depend strongly on copolymer composition, with increasing hydrophobicity (greater NtBA fraction) leading to a decrease in the value of log (IN*/IT*). This allows for the non-contact, measurement of the exact composition and surface energy of the copolymer system.

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Boguslaw Szczupak, Alan G. Ryder, Yuri A. Rochev, Andrey S. Klymchenko, Alexander Gorelov, and Thomas J. Glynn "A fluorescence methodology for assessing the polarity and composition of novel thermoresponsive hydrophylic/hydrophobic copolymer system (Invited Paper)", Proc. SPIE 5826, Opto-Ireland 2005: Optical Sensing and Spectroscopy, (3 June 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.605117

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