Spiropyran-functionalized photochromic nylon webbings for long-term ultraviolet light sensing

Webbing structures are widely employed in engineering applications to bear mechanical loads. Examples include seat belts, helmets, parachutes, and space structures. When in use, webbing structures may be exposed to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, which may significantly damage them.

In their new paper, our own Research Assistant Professor Peng Zhang and Professor Maurizio Porfiri, in collaboration with Dr. Osgar John Ohanian III from Luna Innovations, proposed a new sensing technique for long-term UV exposure based on a photochromic nylon webbing. By integrating experimental assays and theoretical results on the underlying physics, they demonstrated the possibility of sense continuous UV exposure from the tracking of the color of the webbing.

An illustration created by the authors has been highlighted on the cover of the newest issue of Journal of Applied Physics along with their research.

Read the paper “Spiropyran-functionalized photochromic nylon webbings for long-term ultraviolet light sensing” here.

Image credit: Peng Zhang, Osgar John Ohanian III, and Maurizio Porfiri.