Fluorescent films based on molecular-gel networks and their sensing performances

A pyrene-capped terthiophene of cholesteryl derivative (CholG-3T-Py) was designed, synthesized, and utilized for the fabrication of a fluorescent film. Unlike the commonly adopted direct-coating method, the film was fabricated by the physical immobilization of the fluorophore, CholG-3T-Py, onto a glass plate surface via preformed low-molecular-mass gelator (LMMGs)-based molecular-gel networks. The photophysical behavior of the film as prepared and its sensing performances to nitrobenzene (NB) were conducted after activation with toluene. It was found that the film as prepared and activated is sensitive to the presence of NB, and the sensing process is fully reversible. Furthermore, the effects of commonly found interferents, including structural analogues, raw materials, which are commonly used for the production of NB, and other nitroaromatics (NACs), on the sensing process were also tested. It was shown that only aniline and phenol possess slight interference. The present work not only extends the applications of LMMGs-based molecular gels but also provids a new approach for preparation of micro- and nano-structure-based fluorescent sensing films.