Assay of fluoride by a novel organic-inorganic mesoporous nano-sized sensor

In this report, we prepared a novel mesoporous silica nanostructure for selective detection of fluoride through ultraviolet absorption and emission changes. In the sensing system, a silica coupling reagent (3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate) linked 1-naphthylamine has been covalently grafted onto the mesopores of inorganic network. These specially designed nanospheres can recognize fluoride from other anions based on hydrogen bond interactions. This approach may provide new opportunities for designing related sensing systems with enhanced physical or chemical properties. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.