A selective optical sensor for antimony based on hexagonal mesoporous structures.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Mesostructured materials offer potential for reproducible, ordered sensing systems.
• Developing sensitive and selective detection methods for toxic ions like antimony (III) is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate optically selective and sensitive sensors for antimony (III) ions using hexagonal mesoporous silica.
• To achieve subnanomolar detection limits and demonstrate sensor reusability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of hexagonal mesoporous silica in powder and monolith forms as probe carriers.
• Characterization using powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, 29Si NMR, and transmission electron microscopy.
• Optimization of sensor performance based on support number, reaction temperature, and pH.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of optical sensors with high adsorption capacity and efficient analyte transport.
• Achieved subnanomolar detection limit (3x10^-9 mol/dm3) for Sb(III) ions with a wide detection range (1 ppb-2 ppm).
• Demonstrated stability, sensitivity, rapid response time, and large-scale reversibility over multiple reuse cycles.

Conclusions:

• Hexagonal mesoporous silica is an effective platform for developing highly sensitive and stable optical sensors.
• The developed sensors enable rapid, naked-eye detection of Sb(III) ions, suitable for environmental monitoring.
• The sensor design allows for regeneration and reuse, indicating potential for large-scale applications.