Luminescent optical detection of volatile electron deficient compounds by conjugated polymer nanofibers

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Date
2015-03-24
Authors
Wade, Aidan
Lovera, Pierre
O'Carroll, Deirdre
Doyle, Hugh
Redmond, Gareth
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Publisher
American Chemical Society
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Abstract
Optical detection of volatile electron deficient analytes via fluorescence quenching is demonstrated using ca. 200 nm diameter template-synthesized polyfluorene nanofibers as nanoscale detection elements. Observed trends in analyte quenching effectiveness suggest that, in addition to energetic factors, analyte vapor pressure and polymer/analyte solubility play an important role in the emission quenching process. Individual nanofibers successfully act as luminescent reporters of volatile nitroaromatics at sub-parts per million levels. Geometric factors, relating to the nanocylindrical geometry of the fibers and to low nanofiber substrate coverage, providing a less crowded environment around fibers, appear to play a role in providing access by electron deficient quencher molecules to the excited states within the fibers, thereby facilitating the pronounced fluorescence quenching response.
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Keywords
Conjugated polymers , Fluorescence , Luminescence , Nanofibers , Electron-deficient , Quenching , Volatile organic compounds
Citation
WADE, A., LOVERA, P., O’CARROLL, D., DOYLE, H. & REDMOND, G. 2015. Luminescent optical detection of volatile electron deficient compounds by conjugated polymer nanofibers. Analytical Chemistry, 87, 4421-4428. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b00309
Copyright
© 2015 American Chemical Society. This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Analytical Chemistry (copyright © American Chemical Society) after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.5b00309