SPM congratulates Matias on his first paper for PhD thesis published in Advanced Optical Materials! In collaboration with Prof. Nonappa Nonappa (Tampere University) and Prof. Werner Nau (School of Science at Constructor University, Bremen, Germany) Matias and other SPM members demonstrated that supramolecular host–guest complexation in a hydrogel network allows readily tunable hydrogel-based lasers. They used cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) as a host molecule and acrylated Rhodamine B (RhBa) as a fluorescent dye in a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel. RhBa was attached covalently to the polymer matrix and the host was added through diffusion by swelling the hydrogel. Complexation between CB7 and RhBa led to an enhancement of fluorescence as well as improved photostability in swollen hydrogel films. A wavelength-tunable thin-film DFB laser was fabricated from the studied hydrogel via photo- and soft lithographic methods. Read more in the original publication “Hydrogel Lasers Via Supramolecular Host-Guest Complexation“. This was amazing teamwork of SPM members as well: Markus Lahikainen – guidance on hydrogels, Alex Berdin – guidance with lasing, and Kim Kuntze – synthesis help.
Please check out our new paer on hydrogel-based laser improved via a host-guest complexation!
Do you want to know how supramolecular guest-host complexation helps in improving the performance of hydrogel-based dye lasers? Ask Matias Paatelainen!