Polyacrylic esters with a “one-is-enough” effect and investigation of their AIEE behaviours and cyanide detection in aqueous solution

Abstract

Four end-functionalized polymers bearing chains with different hydrophilicities were successfully synthesized using a red-light emitting initiator via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). All polymers possessing aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties emitted red light in DMF/water solutions and in solid states. The AIE effect of the polymers is derived from the effective wrapping of the chromophore and hindrance of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect. The polarity of the monomers affects the intensity of emission and the maximum wavelength of emission. Moreover, the surface of the hydrophobic PtBA-E could be functionalized by the hydrolysis of the butyl acetate groups on the side chains to form hydrophilic PtBAA-E. The presence of an abundant number of carboxyl groups aids uniform dispersion and allows for the detection of cyanide ions in water at low concentrations, which the initiator and other polymers could not detect.