Olley, David A., Wren, Ellen J., Vamvounis, George, Fernee, Mark J., Wang, Xin, Burn, Paul L., Meredith, Paul, and Shaw, Paul E. (2011) Explosive sensing with fluorescent dendrimers: the role of collisional quenching. Chemistry of Materials, 23 (3). pp. 789-794.

PDF (Published Version) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only

127

Abstract

We have investigated a series of branched fluorescent sensing compounds with thiophene units in the arms and triphenylamine centers for the detection of nitrated model compounds for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the plastic explosives taggant 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB). Stern−Volmer measurements in solution show that the fluorescence is more efficiently quenched by nitroaromatic compounds when compared to a non-nitrated quencher, benzophenone. Simple modification of the structure of the sensing compound was found to result in significant changes to the sensitivity and selectivity toward the nitrated analytes. A key result from time-resolved fluorescent measurements showed that the chromophore−analyte interaction was primarily a collisional process. This process is in contrast to conjugated polymers where static quenching dominates, a difference that could offer a potentially more powerful detection mechanism.

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page