Fluorescent Hydrogel-Textile Composite Material Synthesized by Photopolymerization

A fluorescent textile sensor and its capacities to detect pH changes in aqueous solutions have been reported. A new hydrogel-cotton fabric was obtained via surface initiated photopolymerization of 2-aminoethylmethacrylate hydrochloride, with N, N'-methylenebis- acrylamide as a crosslinker, and fluorophore and modified eosin Y and N-methyldiethanolamine as photoinitiators. The synthesis of the modified eosin Y and a new 1,8-naphtalimide used as signal units in the hydrogel composite have been described. It has been found that the concentration of the photoinitiator affects the functional properties of the composite. pH variations influence the gel structure and this is transduced into fluorescence and color changes of the material.