Tb(III) functionalized vesicles for phosphate sensing: Membrane fluidity controls the sensitivity

We report a modular design of vesicular chemosensors by co-embedding a Tb(III) complex and a receptor-sensitizer conjugate in phospholipid vesicles. The binding of phosphate anions to the vesicle surface in aqueous media is detected by a decrease in Tb(III) phosphorescence. The sensory response can be modulated by a variation in the membrane fluidity