Automated Electrospinning Equipment| Active optical waveguides and metal ion sensors based on nanofiberswith aggregation induced emission

Research Group of Yang Xianguang from Li Baojun's Team at Jinan University: AIE Nanofiber Sensors! Wearable Devices Instantly Transform into "Environmental Monitors" with 10-Fold Improvement in Silver Ion Detection Sensitivity!

Introduction:Still going to laboratories for water quality testing? In the future, a "nanofiber patch" will enable real-time monitoring of heavy metal pollution! The research group of Yang Xianguang from Li Baojun's team at Jinan University has published groundbreaking results in *Nano Research*, pioneering a nanofiber material based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) that can both transmit optical signals and accurately capture silver ions, with a detection sensitivity reaching 10 nM (equivalent to one trillionth of the concentration in a drop of wastewater)! How does this "cutting-edge technology" revolutionize traditional sensing techniques? *Yi Si Bang* takes you to explore!

I. The Terminator of Traditional Sensor "Pain Points": One Fiber, Dual Missions 

Silver ions (Ag⁺) in industrial wastewater harm ecosystems, but traditional detection equipment is bulky, expensive, and prone to interference from other metal ions. The AIE nanofibers developed by Yang Xianguang's team at Jinan University solve these challenges in three steps:  

1. "Optical Path + Sensing" Dual Function: The fiber diameter is only one-thousandth of a human hair, yet it maintains ultra-low loss (2 dB/mm) while transmitting visible light. Simultaneously, surface cyano groups (C≡N) precisely "lock onto" Ag⁺, triggering fluorescence quenching.  

2. Anti-Interference Capability: Unaffected by common ions like Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺, remaining stable even in complex environments.  

3. Second-Level Response: Upon contact with Ag⁺, the fluorescence signal changes within seconds—100 times faster than laboratory chromatography!  

Associate Professor Yang Xianguang explains: "It's like equipping optical fibers with a 'molecular switch' that can both transmit light and 'capture' ions. In the future, it could be woven into fabrics to create smart wristbands for real-time monitoring of heavy metals in sweat."  

II. Technical Highlights: From "Laboratory Precision" to "Wearable Revolution" 

- Sensitivity Breakthrough: A detection limit of 10 nM, 10 times better than commercial sensors, rivaling large laboratory instruments.  

- Flexible Innovation: Batch production via solution methods reduces costs by 80%, with bendable and foldable designs that conform to skin or pipe surfaces.  

- Photonics Bonus: Crossed fiber nodes generate 450 nm luminescent spots, promising for applications in microlasers and high-resolution displays.  

III. Application Scenarios: From Wastewater Treatment Plants to Your Gym 

- Environmental Monitoring: Sensor networks deployed in rivers to transmit real-time heavy metal pollution maps.  

- Medical Diagnostics: Diabetic foot ulcer patches that warn of infections via Ag⁺ concentration in exudate.  

- Consumer Electronics: Phone cases with built-in sensors to automatically detect water quality during handwashing.  

Professor Li Baojun envisions: "The next step is to develop fibers for multi-ion detection and explore their applications in light-guided drug delivery for photodynamic cancer therapy."  

IV. Peer Reviews

- International Peers: "Perfectly integrates the optical properties of AIE materials with fiber structures, opening new possibilities for organic photonics."  

- Industry Feedback: Multiple environmental tech companies have initiated discussions on technology transfer, with portable detection pens expected to launch within five years.  

Paper Link: [https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2025.94907572](https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2025.94907572)