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Published on: February 16, 2022
Lanthanide-Titanium Oxo Clusters as the Luminescence Sensor for Nitrobenzene Detection
Hao Zheng1, Yong-Kai Deng1, Ming-Yu Ye1
1Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
A novel luminescent lanthanide-titanium oxo cluster, Eu2Ti4-phen-tbza, efficiently detects nitrobenzene (NB) down to 10.5 ppb. Its luminescence is quenched by NB through π···π stacking interactions, visible to the naked eye at 40 ppm.
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Luminescent Materials
Background:
- Lanthanide-titanium oxo clusters are promising for sensing applications.
- Developing highly sensitive and selective nitrobenzene sensors is crucial for environmental and safety monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel luminescent lanthanide-titanium oxo cluster.
- To investigate the cluster's efficacy as a sensor for nitrobenzene detection.
- To elucidate the mechanism of luminescence quenching by nitrobenzene.
Main Methods:
- Solvothermal synthesis of the Eu2Ti4-phen-tbza cluster.
- Photoluminescence spectroscopy for quantum yield and detection limit determination.
- Time-resolved excited-state decay measurements and 1H NMR spectroscopy to study quenching mechanisms.
Main Results:
- The Eu2Ti4-phen-tbza cluster exhibits high luminescence quantum yields (65.4% solid-state, 30.2% in CH2Cl2).
- A low detection limit of 10.5 ppb for nitrobenzene was achieved.
- Luminescence quenching is observable by the naked eye at 40 ppm nitrobenzene.
- Static quenching dominates at low nitrobenzene concentrations (0-9 ppm).
- 1H NMR data confirms π···π stacking interactions between the cluster's ligands and nitrobenzene.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized Eu2Ti4-phen-tbza cluster is a highly sensitive luminescent sensor for nitrobenzene.
- The luminescence quenching mechanism is primarily attributed to π···π stacking interactions.
- This material holds potential for practical nitrobenzene detection applications.
