Absorption
spectra of 1 mM (a) DDGDXX-PDA
and (b) DXXDGD-PDA
polymerized with 40 min 254 nm UV irradiation at pH 2 (X = G, V, T,
F, and Y). Schematic diagram showing the hypsochromic shift of λmax, for (c) DDGDXX-PDA
(X = V, T, F, and Y) absorption compared to λmax,
for DDGDGG-PDA absorption at pH
2, and for (d) λmax of DXXDGD-PDA (X = V, T, F, and Y) absorption compared to λmax of DGGDGD-PDA absorption
at pH 2. The P1/P2 intensity ratio for (e) DDGDXX-PDA and (f) DXXDGD-PDA
with 40 min UV irradiation at pH 2 showed size-dependent trends for
both isomers where substitution with larger residues favor the formation
of red phase. Comparison between sequences of similar size but varying
polarity did not show drastic changes in P1/P2 values except for DDGDVV and DDGDTT. UV–vis spectra of 1 mM (g) DDGDXX-PDA and (h) DXXDGD-PDA
polymerized with 40 min 254 nm irradiation at pH 2 then switched to
pH 10.