Solid Supported Polydiacetylene Materials for Detection of Biological Targets New Material Forms and Detection Examples

The conjugated polymer polydiacetylene (PDA) has shown promise as a sensing material for point-detection of biological agent applications. PDA has environmentally switchable optical properties that make it very attractive for the transduction of chemical information into readily observable optical signals. Historically, most PDA assay materials have been prepared as dispersed liposomes, a format that is not readily incorporated into rugged, field-ready sensors. Two new PDA material formats, coatings on nanoporous membranes and liposomes attached to fiber supports, are used to demonstrate detection of biological targets using the switchable fluorescence of the material.