In this paper, we report the covalent immobilisation of spiropyran on silica microbeads of 5 �m diameter and subsequent evaluation of the photoswitchable behaviour and light-modulated ion-binding properties of the spiropyran modified silica microbeads towards a range of different metal ions. The beads can be effectively switched using light emitting diodes between a white spiropyran form (by irradiation with a white 430-760 nm light emitting diode) and a pink merocyanine form (upon irradiation with a UV light 375 nm emitting diodes) that undergoes, under exposure to certain metal ions (such as Cu2+ and Zn2+, final concentration of 7.7 times 10-4 M in ethanol solution), a further reversible spectral and colour change due to the formation of merocyanine-metal ion complexes. Furthermore, the accumulated ions can subsequently released from the beads on demand using light emitting diodes to reform the inactive spiro form.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Chemical Sciences
Research Group:	Analytical chemistry
Research Field:	Separation science
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the chemical sciences
UTAS Author:	Paull, B (Professor Brett Paull)
UTAS Author:	Macka, M (Professor Mirek Macka)
ID Code:	71633
Year Published:	2010
Deposited By:	Research Division
Deposited On:	2011-07-26
Last Modified:	2011-08-18
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