A supramolecular cross-linked conjugated polymer network for multiple fluorescent sensing

Abstract

A supramolecular cross-linked network was fabricated and demonstrated to act as a multiple fluorescent sensor. It was constructed from a fluorescent conjugated polymer and a bisammonium salt cross-linker driven by dibenzo[24]crown-8/secondary ammonium salt host-guest interactions. Compared with the conjugated polymer, the network has weak fluorescence due to the aggregation of polymer chains. Thanks to the multiple stimuli-responsiveness of host-guest interactions, the fluorescence intensity of the system can be enhanced by four types of signals, including potassium cation, chloride anion, pH increase, and heating. Hence, the network can serve as a cation sensor, an anion sensor, a pH sensor, and a temperature sensor. It can be used in both solution and thin film. Interestingly, exposure of a film made from this supramolecular cross-linked network to ammonia leads to an increase of fluorescence, making it a good candidate for gas detection.