Supramolecular chemistry sensors detect analytes by recognizing molecules and convert the signal into an optical output through physical or chemical means, offering the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional chemical sensors. However, the detection range of existing supramolecular chemistry sensors remains difficult to control, which limits their application areas. Recently, our research group has developed a supramolecular hyperbranched polymer vesicle sensor with triple supramolecular interactions. This sensor exhibits high selectivity, sensitivity, and low detection limits for Zn2+. Importantly, by adjusting the UV irradiation time, the detection range of the supramolecular hyperbranched polymer vesicle sensor for Zn2+ can be dynamically controlled, with detection limits varying between 8.67×10-9 and 1.99×10-11. This supramolecular hyperbranched polymer vesicle sensor overcomes the limitation of fixed detection limits in existing supramolecular chemistry sensors and holds broader prospects in the field of metal ion detection. These research findings have significant reference value for the development of novel supramolecular sensors with tunable detection ranges.

The relevant research findings have been published online in "Chemistry - A European Journal" (DOI: 10.1002/chem.201705162).

(Paper link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.201705162/abstract). 

Dr.Tingting Liu and Master''s student Shuodong Wang from our research group are co-first authors of the paper, and Professor Wei Tian is the corresponding author.