Aggregation-induced emission luminogens for volatile organic compound detection

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are crucial components in many daily-use products, yet they pose a significant threat to public health and the environment, even in minute amounts, due to their high toxicity. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a reliable method that could track these hazardous vapours with high sensitivity and selectivity. Among various techniques, fluorescence-based detection strategies have demonstrated great efficiency in both qualitative and quantitative monitoring of VOCs in real-time. These methods are attractive due to their low cost and portability, making them suitable for on-site applications. This review explores the latest advancements in aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based fluorescent probes tailored for VOC detection across diverse platforms, highlighting their selectivity, sensitivity, and real-world applications. The use of AIE events has been justified for the development of selective and sensitive sensors for VOC detection. Furthermore, the present work investigates the various sensing mechanisms involved in predicting the AIE nature of the fluorophores. Additionally, we discuss existing challenges and propose future directions for designing next-generation AIE-based VOC sensors with enhanced specificity, stability, and practical usability. Coupled with the latest advancements, AIE-based fluorescence sensing of VOCs could contribute to the structural design of future smart VOC sensors that are highly efficient and effective.