POS5-1219
Development of a Two-Layer pH-Responsive CLC-IPN Hydrogel Platform for Enzyme-Based Sweat Biosensing
Topic
S5. Polymers for Electronics and Photonics
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Jeongmin Choi (Kyungpook National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Wearable structural color sensors have emerged as promising platforms for non-invasive sweat analysis because they enable simple optical detection without external power. Herein, we propose a two-layer sensing platform consisting of a pH-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal-interpenetrating polymer network (CLC-IPN) film and an independent enzyme-containing sensing layer. Unlike conventional enzyme-responsive photonic sensors, which require enzyme immobilization within the photonic film, the proposed platform spatially separates the optical and sensing layers, allowing each layer to be independently optimized. To improve the pH response under physiological conditions, acrylic acid (AA) was copolymerized with 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), shifting the hydrogel response toward the physiological pH range where PAA alone exhibits limited sensitivity. The fabrication of the CLC-IPN film and optimization of the hydrogel composition are currently under investigation for urease-based sweat urea sensing. This modular platform is expected to provide a versatile strategy for enzyme-responsive structural color biosensors by simply replacing the enzyme-containing sensing layer.
