Pyrene derivative-functionalized mesoporous silica-Cu²⁺ hybrid ensemble for fluorescence "turn-on" detection of H₂S...

The ensemble system PyH-SBA-15-Cu²⁺ was obtained via coordination interaction of pyrene derivative-functionalized mesoporous SBA-15 and Cu²⁺, and applied for the selective and sensitive detection of H₂S over pH 6.0-12.0 in aqueous media. The sensing strategy was designed on the basis of the H₂S-induced dissolution of Cu²⁺ from PyH-SBA-15-Cu²⁺. Cu²⁺ has good binding affinity to N atoms in PyH-SBA-15; therefore, the organic-inorganic hybrid ensemble PyH-SBA-15-Cu²⁺ was formed, which is nonfluorescent in aqueous solution because of the Cu²⁺-promoted emission quenching of PyH-SBA-15. The addition of H₂S induces the dissolution of PyH-SBA-15-Cu²⁺ by the formation of stable CuS, thereby producing fluorescence revival of PyH-SBA-15. The correlative "turn-on" fluorescence signals of this ensemble system are linearly proportional to [H₂S] in the concentration region of 0-1.0 × 10^-4 M, showing a low detection limit of 3.7 × 10^-7 M. Other common anions do not induce distinct fluorescence changes. When using the fluorescence intensity signal changes of PyH-SBA-15 as outputs and Cu²⁺ and S^2- as inputs, PyH-SBA-15 can act as an XNOR logic gate.