Generating sensor diversity through combinatorial polymer synthesis

A new approach for rapid, simple generation of uniquely responding sensors for use in polymer-based sensor arrays has been developed. Polymerization reactions between different combinations of two starting materials have been found to lead to many new, unique sensors with responses not simply related to the proportion of the starting materials. This approach is demonstrated in two ways: (a) the use of discrete polymer sensing cones each comprised of a specific monomer combination and (b) the fabrication of a gradient sensor, containing all combinations between the starting and ending monomer concentrations. Gradient sensors were fabricated using two different binary monomer systems, with both systems showing regions of broadly diverse fluorescence responses to organic vapor pulses.