Aquivion–Poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) Holistic Flory–Huggins Photonic Vapor Sensors (Advanced Optical Materials 5/2021)

In article 2002006, Davide Comoretto and co-workers demonstrate a one-dimensional all-polymer photonic crystal selective to a wide range of chemical species with no need for additional functionalization, promising for portable sensors. Employing the perfluorinated polymer Aquivion with Poly(N-vinylcarbazole) as building blocks of high refractive index contrast, the multi-layer film shows brilliant iridescent color. Due to the presence of fluorinated, polar and non-polar moieties, characteristic chromatic change arises on exposure to vapors of different compounds thanks to the distinct polymer–vapor interactions.