Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2015, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (5): 604-610.DOI: 10.11944/j.issn.1000-0518.2015.05.140334

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Fluorescent Film Sensor Based on Starburst Small Molecular Gelator with Tetraphenyl Arms for Highly Sensitive Detection of TNT Vapor

YU Mingquana, b, WU Xiaofua, DING Junqiaoa, *, WANG Lixianga, *   

  1. aState Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
    bUniversity of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2014-09-25 Revised:2014-11-07 Accepted:2014-12-23 Published:2015-05-05 Online:2015-05-05
  • Contact: DING Junqiao, WANG Lixiang
  • Supported by:
    Supported by the 973 Project(No.2009CB623601)

Abstract:

On the basis of a starburst small molecular gelator N5 which consists of a triphenylamine core, carbazole terminals and tetraphenyl arms, highly efficient fluorescent film sensors have been demonstrated for the detection of TNT saturated vapor. Different from the model compound N2 with monophenyl arms, compound N5 can easily form gels in benzene-containing solvents due to intermolecular π-π interactions caused by the presence of tetraphenyl groups. In addition, the obtained compound N5 film fabricated via spin-coating from the toluene solution exhibits porous morphology with some nano-fibrous assemblies, favorable for the permeation of vapor molecules. As a result, when used as the film sensor for TNT vapor, compound N5 shows faster quenching response rate and higher quenching efficiency than those of compound N2. Most interestingly, its thickness nearly has no effect on the sensor property. Even for a 94 nm-thick film, the fluorescence can still be quenched by about 44% and 90% at 1 min and 30 min, respectively.

 

Key words: fluorescence film sensor, gelator, tetraphenyl arm, nano-fibrous assembly, TNT

CLC Number: