Novel fluorescent polymer for trace explosive detection

Author

Anandakathir, Robinson ; Kumar, Abhishek ; Kumar, Jayant

Author_Institution

Center for Adv. Mater., Univ. of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA

fYear

2009

fDate

11-12 May 2009

Firstpage

319

Lastpage

322

Abstract

Conjugated polymer based on thiophene having high reasonably quantum yield has been synthesized. A bulky butoxycarbonylmethyl urethane moiety as a side group is attached to the polymer backbone. The polymer is characterized by ¹H NMR, FT-IR, UV-Visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Thin film fluorescence sensors based on this material were fabricated through a spin-coating technique. The polymer showed rapid fluorescence quenching upon exposure of nitroaromatics and is capable or detecting 2,4-dinitrotolune (DNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrotolune (TNT) vapors at sub parts per billion levels.

Keywords

Fourier transform spectroscopy; NMR spectroscopy; fluorescence spectroscopy; infrared spectroscopy; optical fabrication; optical polymers; optical sensors; radiation quenching; spin coating; thin film sensors; ultraviolet spectroscopy; visible spectroscopy; 2,4,6-trinitrotolune vapor detection; 2,4-dinitrotolune detection; ¹H NMR characterization; FT-IR spectroscopy; UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy; bulky butoxycarbonylmethyl urethane moiety; fluorescence spectroscopy; fluorescent polymer; nitroaromatics exposure; rapid fluorescence quenching; spin-coating technique; thin film fluorescence sensor fabrication; thiophene-based polymer; trace explosive detection; Chemicals; Explosives; Fluorescence; Infrared spectra; Optical detectors; Optical materials; Optical polymers; Optical sensors; Spectroscopy; Stimulated emission;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Technologies for Homeland Security, 2009. HST '09. IEEE Conference on

Conference_Location

Boston, MA

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-4178-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/THS.2009.5168053

Filename

5168053