Preparation and characterization of electrospun fluorescent fiber mats as temperature sensors using various polymers

Abstract

In this study six electrospun fluorescent fiber mats were fabricated using a temperature-sensitive fluorescent dye, a ruthenium complex (tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium(II) dichloride, (Ru(dpp)3)), each with one of six different polymers of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyurethane-based hydrogel HydroMed D4 (D4), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (PSAN), and poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl methacrylate) (PANMM). The electrospun fluorescent fiber mats were characterized as fluorescence temperature sensors in aqueous solution and gaseous environment. The electrospun fluorescent fiber mat fabricated from PAN showed good stability over 100 days, short response time (i.e. 4-5 min), and good reversibility in aqueous solution from 5 to 60 °C, whereas the electrospun fiber mat from PMMA showed relatively high sensitivity and good selectivity in air. These two electrospun fluorescent fiber mats were tested as non-invasive sensors for measuring temperature in biological and environmental processes.

Keywords

• Electrospun fiber mat
• Fluorescence
• Temperature sensor
• Polymer
• Ruthenium complex