Sensitive and selective detection of explosives is crucial for homeland security and civilian safety. The fluorescence-based methods for explosives hold much promise to satisfy all the requirements as an effective platform for trace detection of explosives. In this work, a novel fluorescence polymer is synthesized by facile side-chain reaction in one synthetic step with high conversion, and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. In aqueous solution, this new polymer forms a highly emissive hydrogel and undergoes a dramatic fluorescence quenching when nitroaromatics (i.e., 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)) molecules bind to the polymer through fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET)-amplified effects. This amplification was demonstrated by the quantitative analysis of the fluorescence titration profiles. Down to ppt level of TNT could be discriminated, representing the most sensitive response among the reported fluorescence sensors for nitroaromatics. Moreover, this polymer gives a fast response to nitroaromatics and could be used in real-time detection.

Signal-amplifying fluorescence polymer for ultrasensitive detection of nitroaromatics in aqueous solution

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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