Room temperature phosphorescence of five PAHs in a synergistic mesoporous silica nanoparticle-deoxycholate substrate

A synergistic mesoporous silica nanoparticle-sodium deoxycholate (mPS-NaDC) substrate was developed for room temperature phosphorimetry. The synergistic substrate exhibited rapid and strong RTP-inducing ability against temperature variation. NaDC might adsorb on the inner surface of mPS pore by possible hydrogen bonding and protected the triplet state of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with different molecular sizes. Two mPSs named LPMS1 and LPMS2 with pore size of 3.05 and 3.83nm were synthesized and optimized in inducing RTP, and the latter, LPMS2, was selected as an ideal substrate because of its stronger protection ability to the triplet and good stability. Dibromopropane and cyclohexane were also used as assistant phosphorescence-inducers. All results demonstrated the feasibility and application potential of synergistic mPS-NaDC substrate in phosphorimetry. The interaction detail of NaDC and inner surface of selected mPS still needs to be explored in future.