Luminescent Polymer Composites for Optical Fiber Sensors.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Chemical Sensing

Background:

• Optical fiber sensors utilize luminescent materials for detecting physical and biochemical parameters.
• Fluorescent materials on fiber tips enable fluorescence thermometry and molecule tracking via emission monitoring.
• Luminescent composites, formed by embedding nanomaterials in hosts like glass or polymers, are crucial for these sensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore fluorescence characteristics of lanthanide-doped fluorescent powders within a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) host.
• To develop and evaluate PDMS-based luminescent composites for optical fiber sensing applications.
• To investigate the suitability of these composites for temperature sensing and UV radiation detection.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of luminescent composites by simple mixing of lanthanide-doped fluorescent powders with PDMS.
• Deposition of composites onto optical fiber tips using dip coating or molding techniques.
• Evaluation of composite performance, including fluorescent stability, particle concentration effects, and sensing capabilities for temperature and UV radiation.

Main Results:

• Two distinct PDMS-based luminescent composites were successfully prepared.
• One composite demonstrated utility for fabricating fiber optic temperature sensors.
• The second composite showed promising results for detecting UV radiation.
• The influence of particle concentration and density on fluorescence was investigated.

Conclusions:

• PDMS-based luminescent composites incorporating lanthanide-doped powders are viable for optical fiber sensor fabrication.
• These composites offer potential for developing specialized sensors for temperature monitoring and UV detection.
• The study highlights the versatility of PDMS as a host material for luminescent sensing applications.