Effect of Polyethylene Glycol Immobilized into a Polymethacrylate Matrix on the Sorption of Rhodamine

Abstract

Combined matrix PMMA and PEG, having a polymethacrylate backbone and hydrophilic PEG chains, has been synthesized and applied for the design of transparent colour sensors. Introduction of the hydrophilic PEG chains in the PMMA bulk overcomes the limitations caused by the hydrophobicity of PMMA, and exhibits good wettability, stable and specific adsorption. We suppose that the adsorption of rhodamine on such networks depends on the chemical composition of the system and describes the interaction of the xanthene dye with the polymers.