Zn-Salphen Acrylic Films Powered by Aggregation-Induced Enhanced Emission for Sensing Applications

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Polymer Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Zinc(II) complexes are valuable in supramolecular chemistry, catalysis, and optoelectronics.
• Zinc-Salphen complexes show promise as chemical sensors but are limited to solution-based applications.
• Aggregation-Induced Emission Enhancement (AIEE) offers a route to enhance fluorescence in solid-state materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel polymers incorporating a non-symmetrical Zn-Salphen complex.
• To investigate the aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) properties of the Zn-Salphen complex within a polymer matrix.
• To demonstrate the potential of these AIEE-active polymer films for chemical sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of new polymers using methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, and a non-symmetrical Zn-Salphen complex.
• Characterization of the synthesized polymers and their optical properties.
• Evaluation of the polymer films' fluorescence response to analytes like acetic acid and anion guests.

Main Results:

• The low-fluorescent Zn-Salphen complex demonstrated aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE).
• Incorporation into a polymer matrix yielded fluorescent films with enhanced fluorescence.
• The polymer films successfully detected acetic acid, with fluorescence decreasing up to 73%.
• Host/guest studies indicated interactions between analytes and the Zn-Salphen complex, influencing emission.

Conclusions:

• Polymeric materials incorporating AIEE-active Zn-Salphen complexes can create highly fluorescent films.
• These AIEE-active polymer films show significant potential for solid-state chemical sensing.
• Analyte interactions with the Zn-Salphen complex within the polymer matrix modulate fluorescence, enabling detection.