Chromic Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers: Preparation, Applications, and the Future.

Physical understanding and determination of different analytes without the need for advanced and additional equipment are highly important, which can be achieved by using stimuli-induced chromic materials. Physical and chemical incorporation of responsive chromophores into different polymers results in the fabrication of chromic polymers. Chromic electrospun nanofibers are prepared using the electrospinning technique, and their stimuli-responsivity is improved due to their high surface-to-volume ratio.

Multi-Responsive Polymer Nanoparticles: A Versatile Platform for Double-Security Anticounterfeiting and Smart Food Packaging.

Potential applications of colloidal polymer nanoparticles in the preparation of smart inks are investigated by physical incorporation of the oxazolidine molecules. Precise adjusting the polymer chain flexibility and polarity is achieved by controlling the ratio of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate monomers in the polymerization reaction. In addition, nanofibrous indicators of acid-base vapors are prepared from the latex nanoparticles.

Colloidal Polymer Nanoparticles as Smart Inks for Authentication and Indication of Latent Fingerprints and Scratch.

An environmentally friendly smart ink was developed by incorporating fluorescein into functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles synthesized using an emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization approach. The functional comonomers of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), acrylamide, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and glycidyl methacrylate in 10 wt % with respect to methyl methacrylate were used to obtain the functionalized colloidal PMMA nanoparticles. Functional groups of the latex nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

Photoluminescent Polymer Nanoparticles Based on Oxazolidine Derivatives for Authentication and Security Marking of Confidential Notes.

Colloidal materials have widely been used to develop innovative anticounterfeiting nanoinks for information encryption. Latex nanoparticles based on methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) bearing hydroxyl functional groups were synthesized via semicontinuous miniemulsion polymerization. The size determination of the nanoparticles and microscopic results showed mostly spherical nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution and a mean size of about 80 nm.

Optical Chemosensors based on Spiropyran-Doped Polymer Nanoparticles for Sensing pH of Aqueous Media.

Photochromic polymers, which are prepared by the incorporation of photochromic compounds into polymer matrices, show fluorescence emission along with color change under UV light irradiation. Polymer nanoparticles yield high chromic properties at low chromophore loadings, as they have a large surface area to absorb a high level of light irradiation. Particle size is a significant parameter to control optical properties, where the decrease of particle size results in a high light absorption and efficiency of photochromism and fluorescence emission.