Multicolor saccharide-sensing chips created via layer-by-layer adsorption of boronic acid-containing polymers

A novel saccharide-sensing chip that shows a distinct color change was developed. The saccharide-responsive thin films were obtained on a pattern-printed microscope slide via a layer-by-layer method utilizing a boronic acid-containing polycation. After adsorption of anionic dyes, the thin films were immersed in aqueous saccharide solutions. As the saccharide concentration increased, the thin films showed a multi-patterned color change that enabled the quantification of saccharides using multi-colorimetric sensing.