Carbazole and tetraphenylethylene based AIE-active conjugated polymer for highly sensitive TNT detection

摘要

Conjugated polymer PCz-TPE based on carbazole and tetraphenylethylene units was synthesized via Yamamoto-type coupling under microwave heating. PCz-TPE exhibits AIE phenomenon and high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield in solid state due to the introduction of tetraphenylethylene moieties in polymer backbone and sidechain. Considering its electronic property and packed structure in aggregated state, PL sensing experiment toward TNT analyte was carried out based on PCz-TPE aggregates dispersion in THF/90 vol% water. As expected, PCz-TPE aggregates indicate high sensitivity for TNT detection, with maximum Stern-Volmer quenching constant of 8.5 x 10(4) M-1. Also, paper strips test demonstrates a promising potential of PCz-TPE for solid sensor application towards nitroaromatic explosives. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.