Trimethylsilylethynyl-Substituted Pyrene Doped Materials as Improved Fluorescent Sensors towards Nitroaromatic Explosives and Related Compounds

The well-known fluorophore, namely 1,3,6,8-tetrakis[(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]pyrene, has been studied profoundly as a fluorescent sensor toward nitroaromatic compounds in solutions and vapor phase. Three prototypes of fluorescent materials for vapor sensing were prepared via electrospinning and drop-casting onto the melamine formaldehyde foam with the fluorophore as a pure solid or as a dopant in the polystyrene matrix. It has been shown that this fluorophore and solid fluorescent materials based on it have high detection limits toward nitroaromatic compounds within the range of 10(-8) to 10(-9) M in acetonitrile solution and within the up to ppb range in the vapor phase. The model, expanding on Frisch's permeation model, was utilized to characterize the fluorescence response of materials relative to vapor concentration and duration of exposure to vapor. All prototypes can be used as sensor materials exhibiting a good sensitivity and selectivity for the original hand-made sniffer for detecting nitro-containing explosives in the vapor phase for real-time application.

Automated summary

This article studies the well-known fluorophore 1,3,6,8-tetrakis[(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]pyrene as a fluorescent sensor for nitroaromatic compounds. Three prototypes of fluorescent materials were prepared for vapor sensing. It was found that this fluorophore and its solid fluorescent materials have high detection limits for nitroaromatic compounds in solution and vapor phase. The prototypes can be used as sensor materials for real-time detection of nitro-containing explosives in the vapor phase.