Modification of UV-cured epoxy resins with fluorescent sensors through photopolymerization and click chemistry reactions and preparation of polarity-sensitive films

In this work, functionalization of epoxy films with dansyl and naphthalimide fluorophores is described. The procedure involves UV-photopolymerization of an epoxy formulation that includes bromomethyl reactive groups, and their post-functionalization modification through a click strategy. Quantitative click reaction within the bulk of the film allows one to obtain films in which the fluorophore is uniformly and covalently linked throughout the epoxy network. Depending on the chromophore bounded, the films are sensitive to different stimuli. Evaluation of the fluorescence emission of the films shows a linear response towards changes in polarity but less sensitivity than that of the low-molecular-weight chromophore. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry