Suchol Savagatrup

Interests

Research

Soft Materials Science | Polymers | Complex Emulsions | Organic Electronics | Chemical and Biosensors | Interfacial Interactions | Bio-Inspired Properties

Teaching

Chemical Reaction Engineering | Polymer and Soft Materials Science | Colloid Science | Surface and Intermolecular Forces

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Lipomi, D. J., Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., Rodriquez, D., Root, S. E., Kleinschmidt, A. T., & Alkhadra, M. A. (2019). Mechanical Properties of Semiconducting Polymers. In Handbook of Semiconducting Polymers, Fourth Edition; Conjugated Polymers: Properties, Processing, and Apllications. CRC Press.

Journals/Publications

• Barua, B., Durkin, T. J., Beeley, I. M., Gadh, A., & Savagatrup, S. (2023). Multiplexed and continuous microfluidic sensors using dynamic complex droplets. Soft Matter, 19, 1930-1940.
• Durkin, T. J., Barua, B., & Savagatrup, S. (2023). Modification of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers for Responsive and Biologically Active Surfactants in Complex Droplets. Giant, 13, 100134. doi:10.1016/j.giant.2022.100134
• Durkin, T. J., Barua, B., Holmstrom, J. J., Karanikola, V., & Savagatrup, S. (2023). Functionalized Amphiphilic Block Copolymers and Complex Emulsions for Selective Sensing of Dissolved Metals at Liquid–Liquid Interfaces. Langmuir, 39, 12845-12854.
• Trinh, V., Savagatrup, S., Malloy, C. S., Gadh, A., & Durkin, T. J. (2022). Detection of PFAS and Fluorinated Surfactants Using Differential Behaviors at Interfaces of Complex Droplets.. ACS sensors, 7(5), 1514-1523. doi:10.1021/acssensors.2c00257
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  Contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water supplies will continue to have serious health and environmental consequences. Despite the importance of monitoring the concentrations of PFAS at potential sites of contamination and at treatment plants, there are few suitable and rapid on-site methods. Many nonconventional techniques do not possess the necessary selectivity and sensitivity to distinguish PFAS from other surface-active components and to quantify the low concentrations in real-world conditions. Herein, we report a novel and rapid method for the detection of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by leveraging their differential behaviors at the interfaces of emissive complex droplets. Measurement of surface and interfacial tensions via a force tensiometer reveals that PFAS preferentially self-assemble at the water-fluorocarbon oil interface (F/W) rather than the water-hydrocarbon oil interface (H/W). We also observe an opposite behavior for hydrocarbon surfactants. This difference in interfacial behavior produces distinct effects on the morphological change and optical emission of biphasic oil-in-water droplets. The change in the intensity of fluorescence emission, measured with a simple spectroscopic setup, correlates with the concentrations of PFAS. We also demonstrate that the range of detection and sensitivity can be tuned by adjusting the initial composition of the complex droplets. Our results illustrate an alternative mode of sensors that may provide a rapid and on-site detection of PFAS.
• Durkin, T. J., Barua, B., & Savagatrup, S. (2021). Rapid Detection of Sepsis: Recent Advances in Biomarker Sensing Platforms. ACS omega, 6(47), 31390-31395.
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  Sepsis is a major cause of mortality among hospitalized patients worldwide. Rapid diagnosis is critical as early treatments have been demonstrated to improve survival. Despite the importance of early detection, current technologies and clinical methods are often insufficient due to their lack of the necessary speed, selectivity, or sensitivity. The development of rapid sensing platforms that target sepsis-related biomarkers could significantly improve the outcomes of patients. This Mini-Review focuses on the recent advances in rapid diagnosis of soluble biomarkers in blood with the emphasis on different configurations of point-of-care (POC) instruments. Specifically, it first describes the commonly targeted biomarkers and the mechanisms by which they are detected. Then, it highlights the recently developed sensors that aim to reduce the total time of diagnosis without sacrificing selectivity and limit of detection. These sensors are categorized based on their distinct sensing and transduction mechanisms. Finally, it concludes with a brief outlook over future developments of multiplexed sensors.
• Fernandez, A., Zentner, C. A., Shivrayan, M., Samson, E., Savagatrup, S., Zhuang, J., Swager, T. M., & Thayumanavan, S. (2020). Programmable Emulsions via Nucleophile-Induced Covalent Surfactant Modifications. Chemistry of Materials, 32(11), 4663-4671.
• Koo, W., Kim, Y., Kim, S., Suh, B. L., Savagatrup, S., Kim, J., Lee, S., Swager, T. M., & Kim, I. (2020). Hydrogen Sensors from Composites of Ultra-small Bimetallic Nanoparticles and Porous Ion-Exchange Polymers. Chem, 6(10), 2746 - 2758.
• Li, J., Savagatrup, S., Nelson, Z., Yoshinaga, K., & Swager, T. M. (2020). Fluorescent Janus emulsions for biosensing of Listeria monocytogenes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(22), 11923-11930.
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  Here we report a sensing method for based on the agglutination of all-liquid Janus emulsions. This two-dye assay enables the rapid detection of trace in less than 2 h via an emissive signal produced in response to binding. The biorecognition interface between the Janus emulsions is assembled by attaching antibodies to a functional surfactant polymer with a tetrazine/transcyclooctene click reaction. The strong binding between and the antibody located at the hydrocarbon surface of the emulsions results in the tilting of the Janus structure from its equilibrium position to produce emission that would ordinarily be obscured by a blocking dye. This method provides rapid and inexpensive detection with high sensitivity (
• Savagatrup, S., Ma, D., Zhong, H., Harvey, K. S., Kimerling, L. C., Agarwal, A. M., & Swager, T. M. (2020). Dynamic Complex Emulsions as Amplifiers for On-Chip Photonic Cavity-Enhanced Resonators. ACS Sensors, 5(7), 1996-2002. doi:10.1021/acssensors.0c00399
• Savagatrup, S., Ma, D., Zhong, H., Harvey, K. S., Kimerling, L. C., Agarwal, A. M., & Swager, T. M. (2020). Dynamic Complex Emulsions as Amplifiers for On-Chip Photonic Cavity-Enhanced Resonators. ACS sensors, 5(7), 1996-2002.
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  Despite the recent emergence of microcavity resonators as label-free biological and chemical sensors, practical applications still require simple and robust methods to impart chemical selectivity and reduce the cost of fabrication. We introduce the use of hydrocarbon-in-fluorocarbon-in-water (HC/FC/W) double emulsions as a liquid top cladding that expands the versatility of optical resonators as chemical sensors. The all-liquid complex emulsions are tunable droplets that undergo dynamic and reversible morphological transformations in response to a change in the chemical environment (., exposure to targeted analytes). This chemical-morphological coupling drastically modifies the effective refractive index, allowing the complex emulsions to act as a chemical transducer and signal amplifier. We detect this large change in the refractive index by tracking the shift of the enveloped resonant spectrum of a silicon nitride (SiN) racetrack resonator-based sensor, which correlates well with a change in the morphology of the complex droplets. This combination of soft materials (dynamic complex emulsions) and hard materials (on-chip resonators) provides a unique platform for liquid-phase, real-time, and continuous detection of chemicals and biomolecules for miniaturized and remote, environmental, medical, and wearable sensing applications.
• Choi, S. J., Savagatrup, S., Kim, Y., Lang, J. H., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Precision pH Sensor Based on WO Nanofiber-Polymer Composites and Differential Amplification. ACS sensors, 4(10), 2593-2598.
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  We report a new type of potentiometric pH sensor with sensitivity exceeding the theoretical Nernstian behavior (-59.1 mV/pH). For the pH-sensitive electrode, 1D tungsten oxide (WO) nanofibers (NFs) were prepared to obtain large surface area and high porosity. These NFs were then stabilized in a reactive porous chloromethylated triptycene poly(ether sulfone) (Cl-TPES) binder, to facilitate proton diffusion into the polymer membrane. The measurements were performed with a differential amplifier using matched MOSFETs and providing a 10-fold amplified signal over a simple potentiometric determination. A high pH sensitivity of -377.5 mV/pH and a linearity of 0.9847 were achieved over the pH range of 6.90-8.94. Improved signal-to-noise ratios with large EMF signal changes of 175 mV were obtained in artificial seawater ranging pH 8.07-7.64 (ΔpH = 0.43), which demonstrates a practical application for pH monitoring in ocean environments.
• Jeon, I., Peeks, M. D., Savagatrup, S., Zeininger, L., Chang, S., Thomas, G., Wang, W., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Janus Graphene: Scalable Self-Assembly and Solution-Phase Orthogonal Functionalization. ADVANCED MATERIALS, 31(21).
• Koo, W., Kim, Y., Savagatrup, S., Yoon, B., Jeon, I., Choi, S., Kim, I., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Porous Ion Exchange Polymer Matrix for Ultrasmall Au Nanoparticle-Decorated Carbon Nanotube Chemiresistors. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 31(15), 5413-5420.
• Lin, C., Zeininger, L., Savagatrup, S., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Morphology-Dependent Luminescence in Complex Liquid Colloids. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 141(9), 3802-3806.
• Schroeder, V., Evans, E. D., Wu, Y. M., Voll, C. A., McDonald, B. R., Savagatrup, S., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Chemiresistive Sensor Array and Machine Learning Classification of Food. ACS SENSORS, 4(8), 2101-2108.
• Schroeder, V., Savagatrup, S., He, M., Ling, S., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Carbon Nanotube Chemical Sensors. CHEMICAL REVIEWS, 119(1), 599-663.
• Zeininger, L., Nagelberg, S., Harvey, K. S., Savagatrup, S., Herbert, M. B., Yoshinaga, K., Capobianco, J. A., Kolle, M., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Rapid Detection of Salmonella enterica via Directional Emission from Carbohydrate-Functionalized Dynamic Double Emulsions. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE, 5(5), 789-795.
• Zeininger, L., Weyandt, E., Savagatrup, S., Harvey, K. S., Zhang, Q., Zhao, Y., & Swager, T. M. (2019). Waveguide-based chemo- and biosensors: complex emulsions for the detection of caffeine and proteins. LAB ON A CHIP, 19(8), 1327-1331.
• Sugiyama, F., Kleinschmidt, A. T., Kayser, L. V., Alkhadra, M. A., Wan, J., Chiang, A., Rodriquez, D., Root, S. E., Savagatrup, S., & Lipomi, D. J. (2018). Stretchable and Degradable Semiconducting Block Copolymers. MACROMOLECULES, 51(15), 5944-5949.
• Sugiyama, F., Kleinschmidt, A. T., Kayser, L. V., Rodriquez, D., Finn, M. I., Alkhadra, M. A., Wan, J., Ramirez, J., Chiang, A., Root, S. E., Savagatrup, S., & Lipomi, D. J. (2018). Effects of flexibility and branching of side chains on the mechanical properties of low-bandgap conjugated polymers. POLYMER CHEMISTRY, 9(33), 4354-4363.
• Truong, T., Savagatrup, S., Jeon, I., & Swager, T. M. (2018). Modular Synthesis of Polymers Containing 2,5-Di(Thiophenyl)-N-Arylpyrrole. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY, 56(11), 1133-1139.
• Wang, P., Jeon, I., Lin, Z., Peeks, M. D., Savagatrup, S., Kooi, S. E., Van, V. T., & Swager, T. M. (2018). Insights into Magneto-Optics of Helical Conjugated Polymers. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 140(20), 6501-6508.
• He, Y., Savagatrup, S., Zarzar, L. D., & Swager, T. M. (2017). Interfacial Polymerization on Dynamic Complex Colloids: Creating Stabilized Janus Droplets. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 9(8), 7804-7811.
• Root, S. E., Jackson, N. E., Savagatrup, S., Arya, G., & Lipomi, D. J. (2017). Modelling the morphology and thermomechanical behaviour of low-bandgap conjugated polymers and bulk heterojunction films. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, 10(2), 558-569.
• Root, S. E., Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., Rodriquez, D., & Lipomi, D. J. (2017). Mechanical Properties of Organic Semiconductors for Stretchable, Highly Flexible, and Mechanically Robust Electronics. CHEMICAL REVIEWS, 117(9), 6467-6499.
• Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., O'Connor, T. F., Kim, I., & Lipomi, D. J. (2017). Efficient Characterization of Bulk Heterojunction Films by Mapping Gradients by Reversible Contact with Liquid Metal Top Electrodes. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 29(1), 389-398.
• Savagatrup, S., Schroeder, V., He, X., Lin, S., He, M., Yassine, O., Salama, K. N., Zhang, X., & Swager, T. M. (2017). Bio-Inspired Carbon Monoxide Sensors with Voltage-Activated Sensitivity. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION, 56(45), 14066-14070.
• Zhang, Q., Savagatrup, S., Kaplonek, P., Seeberger, P. H., & Swagert, T. M. (2017). Janus Emulsions for the Detection of Bacteria. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE, 3(4), 309-313.
• O'Connor, T. F., Zaretski, A. V., Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., Wilkes, C. D., Diaz, M. I., Sawyer, E. J., & Lipomi, D. J. (2016). Wearable organic solar cells with high cyclic bending stability: Materials selection criteria. SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS, 144, 438-444.
• Rodriquez, D., Savagatrup, S., Valle, E., Proctor, C. M., McDowell, C., Bazan, G. C., Nguyen, T., & Lipomi, D. J. (2016). Mechanical Properties of Solution-Processed Small-Molecule Semiconductor Films. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 8(18), 11649-11657.
• Root, S. E., Savagatrup, S., Pais, C. J., Arya, G., & Lipomi, D. J. (2016). Predicting the Mechanical Properties of Organic Semiconductors Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations. MACROMOLECULES, 49(7), 2886-2894.
• Roth, B., Savagatrup, S., de, l., Hagemann, O., Carle, J. E., Helgesen, M., Livi, F., Bundgaard, E., Sondergaard, R. R., Krebs, F. C., & Lipomi, D. J. (2016). Mechanical Properties of a Library of Low-Band-Gap Polymers. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 28(7), 2363-2373.
• Savagatrup, S., Zhao, X., Chan, E., Mei, J., & Lipomi, D. J. (2016). Effect of Broken Conjugation on the Stretchability of Semiconducting Polymers. MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, 37(19), 1623-1628.
• Printz, A. D., Savagatrup, S., Rodriquez, D., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). Role of molecular mixing on the stiffness of polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction films. SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS, 134, 64-72.
• Printz, A. D., Zaretski, A. V., Savagatrup, S., Chiang, A., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). Yield Point of Semiconducting Polymer Films on Stretchable Substrates Determined by Onset of Buckling. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 7(41), 23257-23264.
• Savagatrup, S., Chan, E., Renteria-Garcia, S. M., Printz, A. D., Zaretski, A. V., O'Connor, T. F., Rodriquez, D., Valle, E., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). Plasticization of PEDOT:PSS by Common Additives for Mechanically Robust Organic Solar Cells and Wearable Sensors. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, 25(3), 427-436.
• Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., O'Connor, T. F., Zaretski, A. V., Rodriquez, D., Sawyer, E. J., Rajan, K. M., Acosta, R. I., Root, S. E., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). Mechanical degradation and stability of organic solar cells: molecular and microstructural determinants. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, 8(1), 55-80.
• Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., Wu, H., Rajan, K. M., Sawyer, E. J., Zaretski, A. V., Bettinger, C. J., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). Viability of stretchable poly(3-heptylthiophene) (P3HpT) for organic solar cells and field-effect transistors. SYNTHETIC METALS, 203, 208-214.
• Savagatrup, S., Rodriquez, D., Printz, A. D., Sieval, A. B., Hummelen, J. C., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). [70]PCBM and Incompletely Separated Grades of Methanofullerenes Produce Bulk Heterojunctions with Increased Robustness for Ultra-Flexible and Stretchable Electronics. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 27(11), 3902-3911.
• Zaretski, A. V., Moetazedi, H., Kong, C., Sawyer, E. J., Savagatrup, S., Valle, E., O'Connor, T. F., Printz, A. D., & Lipomi, D. J. (2015). Metal-assisted exfoliation (MAE): green, roll-to-roll compatible method for transferring graphene to flexible substrates. NANOTECHNOLOGY, 26(4).
• O'Connor, T. F., Zaretski, A. V., Shiravi, B. A., Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., Diaz, M. I., & Lipomi, D. J. (2014). Stretching and conformal bonding of organic solar cells to hemispherical surfaces. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, 7(1), 370-378.
• Printz, A. D., Savagatrup, S., Burke, D. J., Purdy, T. N., & Lipomi, D. J. (2014). Increased elasticity of a low-bandgap conjugated copolymer by random segmentation for mechanically robust solar cells. RSC ADVANCES, 4(26), 13635-13643.
• Savagatrup, S., Makaram, A. S., Burke, D. J., & Lipomi, D. J. (2014). Mechanical Properties of Conjugated Polymers and Polymer-Fullerene Composites as a Function of Molecular Structure. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, 24(8), 1169-1181.
• Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., O'Connor, T. F., Zaretski, A. V., & Lipomi, D. J. (2014). Molecularly Stretchable Electronics. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 26(10), 3028-3041.
• Savagatrup, S., Printz, A. D., Rodriquez, D., & Lipomi, D. J. (2014). Best of Both Worlds: Conjugated Polymers Exhibiting Good Photovoltaic Behavior and High Tensile Elasticity. MACROMOLECULES, 47(6), 1981-1992.
• Kusoglu, A., Savagatrup, S., Clark, K. T., & Weber, A. Z. (2012). Role of Mechanical Factors in Controlling the Structure-Function Relationship of PFSA Ionomers. MACROMOLECULES, 45(18), 7467-7476.