Solution plasma process for synthesizing polydiacetylene materials: Toward industrial utilization of colorimetric sensors

Abstract

A new route for synthesizing polydiacetylene (PDA) is introduced. Plasma is generated in a liquid matrix through a pair of electrodes, producing the excited atomic or molecular species, radicals, and UV radiation. The products of solution plasma process (SPP) act as initiators to induce polymerization of diacetylene monomers. Our results demonstrate that irreversible thermochromic PDA and reversible thermochromic PDA/Zn2+/ZnO nanocomposite can be effectively synthesized. The addition of ethanol significantly increases the polymerization rate. These PDA materials can be fabricated into paper-based colorimetric sensors for detecting volatile organic solvents, acids, bases, and surfactants. This synthetic pathway could be applied for industrial-scale applications.