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Super-resolution Fluorescence Imaging of Recycled Polymer Blends via Hydrogen Bond-Assisted Adsorption of a Nile Red Derivative
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Researchers developed a super-resolution fluorescence imaging technique using a Nile Red derivative that binds selectively via hydrogen bonding, enabling nanoscale visualization of polymer phase separation in recycled polyethylene-polyamide blends and providing a practical quality-control tool for the plastics recycling industry.
A key challenge in the recycling of multilayer plastic films of polyethylene and polyamide, as typically used for food packaging, is to assess and control the phase separation of the two types of polymers in the recycled material, the specifics of which determine the mechanical strength of the recycled material. However, visualizing the polyamide-in-polyethylene domains with conventional fluorescence methods or electron microscopy is challenging. We present a new approach that combines the point accumulation in nanoscale topography (PAINT) super-resolution method with a newly synthesized Nile Red probe (diOHNR) as the fluorescent label. The molecule was modified to undergo a hydrogen bond-assisted interaction with the polyamide phase in the blend due to its two additional hydroxyl groups but preserves the spectral properties of Nile Red. As a result, the localization density of the probe in the PAINT image is 13 times larger at the polyamide phase than at the polyethylene phase, enabling quantitative evaluation of the spatial polyamide/polyethylene distribution down to the nanoscale. The method achieved a spatial resolution of 18.8 nm, and we found that over half of the polyamide particles in a recycled sample were smaller than the optical diffraction limit. Being able to image the blends with nanoscopic resolution can help to optimize the composition and mechanical properties of recycled materials and thus contribute to an increased reuse of plastics.
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Researchers developed a fluorescence mapping method using Nile Red staining to locate, quantify, and identify polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics down to 60 nm in size, overcoming the diffraction limits of conventional spectroscopy. Verification by scanning electron microscopy confirmed the technique can resolve individual nanoplastics of different types and sizes in complex real-world samples containing contaminant and additive nanoparticles.
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Researchers optimized methods for preparing and analyzing environmental microplastic samples using fluorescence staining with Nile Red dye and Raman spectroscopy. The study found that while fluorescence can broadly categorize plastics as polar or non-polar, Raman spectroscopy with a deep-UV laser was needed to reliably identify all polymer types, including those pigmented with carbon black.
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Researchers developed an improved method for characterizing microplastics using Nile Red fluorescent staining combined with fluorescence spectroscopy. They found that different plastic polymers produce distinct fluorescent signatures when stained, enabling more reliable identification of plastic types. The technique offers a faster and more affordable alternative to traditional microplastic detection methods, which could help scale up environmental monitoring efforts.
Classification, Quantification, and Fluorescence Behavior Analysis of Microplastics via Nile Red Staining: Application to Detection Emission in Takeaway Food Container
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Researchers optimized Nile Red staining protocols using hexane-acetone solvent mixtures to fluorescently classify and quantify microplastics by polymer type, then applied the method to seven takeaway food containers, finding 420–1,326 MPs per box—predominantly 10–20 µm irregular fragments—with SEM revealing surface cracking that drives particle release.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.