Stimuli-triggered off/on switchable complexation between a novel type of charge-generation polymer (CGP) and gold nanoparticles for the sensitive colorimetric detection of hydrogen peroxide and glucose

An effective strategy for the quantitative and sensitive colorimetric detection of H2O2 and glucose by combining a novel concept of stimuli-triggered charge-generation polymer (termed as CGP) with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was investigated. A new polymerizable monomer, PBMA, was designed and synthesized, through the reaction of boronate ester-functionalized benzyl alcohol derivative with 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate. As PBMA monomer lacks sufficient water solubility, it was opted to synthesize PBMA-containing water-soluble polymers through the free radical copolymerization of PBMA with N, N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA). The obtained P(DMA-co-PBMA) copolymer was subjected to further fractionation to afford relatively narrow-disperse samples. 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography analysis revealed an overall degree of polymerization (DP) of 620, an Mw/Mn of 1.27, and a PBMA molar content of 11 .