A ratiometric solid AIE sensor for detection of acetone vapor

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Acetone is a common industrial solvent and synthetic intermediate.
• Monitoring acetone vapor is crucial for workplace safety due to its volatility and toxicity.
• Existing portable sensors for acetone vapor are limited in simplicity and ease of use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a portable and intuitive sensor for real-time acetone vapor detection.
• To utilize a ratiometric fluorescence response for quantitative acetone measurement.
• To create a practical solution for workplace hazard alarming.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore, PhB-SSB.
• Investigation of the ratiometric fluorescence response of PhB-SSB to acetone vapor.
• Fabrication of PhB-SSB into a film-based fluorescent sensor.
• Proposed reaction mechanism involving acetone-induced imine bond breakage.

Main Results:

• PhB-SSB exhibits a ratiometric fluorescence change from green to red upon reaction with acetone.
• The sensor demonstrates good sensitivity and selectivity for acetone vapor detection.
• The developed sensor is portable, intuitive, and provides real-time readings.
• The mechanism involves the specific reaction of acetone with salicylaldehyde Schiff base and phenylboronate groups.

Conclusions:

• The developed PhB-SSB based fluorescent sensor is effective for real-time acetone vapor monitoring.
• The sensor's intuitive colorimetric response and portability make it practical for workplace safety applications.
• This technology addresses the need for simple and easy-to-use portable sensors for toxic volatile organic compounds.