Fabrication of stable polydiacetylene vesicles with 2,4-akyl-diacetylenic acid

The polydiacetylenic vesicles have been proved to be a promising device for virus, bacteria, and oligonucleotides detection. The influence of hydrocarbon chain lengths in the single-chain 2,4-alkyl-diynoic acids on the ability to form polydiacetylene vesicles has been studied by surface pressure (π)–molecular area (A) isotherms and transmission electron microscope. The experimental results showed that 2,4-tricosadiynioc acid (TCDA), 2,4-heneicosadiynioc acid (HCDA) except 2,4-pentadecadiynoic acid (PDDA) can form blue polydiacetylene vesicles, suggesting that the alkyl chain lengths of the 2,4-alkyl-diynoic acids play crucial role in the polymer vesicle formation. These polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for over a period of 6 months and were not destroyed by 50% (wt) alcohol aqueous solution and by 0.2 M NaCl aqueous solution. This will be of great importance for biosensor or drug delivery applications.