Browsing by Author "Lo, SC"

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    Solid state dendrimer sensors: effect of dendrimer dimensionality on detection and sequestration of 2,4-dinitrotoluene
    (American Chemical Society, 2011-09-22) Cavaye, H; Shaw, PE; Smith, ARG; Burn, PL; Gentle, IR; James, M; Lo, SC; Meredith, P
    We compare two dendrimers, which contain the same luminescent chromophores but differ in dimensionality, for the detection of an explosive analyte via PL quenching. Each dendrimer has first generation biphenyl dendrons with 2-ethylhexyloxy surface groups but differ in the core units. One dendrimer has a bifluorene core and hence has a “planar†structure, whereas the second has four bifluorene units tetrahedrally arranged around an adamantyl center and hence has a “three-dimensional†structure. Solution Stern–Volmer measurements have previously been reported to show that the three-dimensional dendrimer has a higher binding constant than that of the more planar compound. Films of the dendrimers rapidly detect 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) with thinner films (∼25 nm) being more responsive than thicker films (∼85 nm). Neutron reflectometry measurements show that the analyte can diffuse completely through the films with the three-dimensional dendrimer absorbing more of the analyte. The rate of recovery of the PL was faster for the planar dendrimer than the three-dimensional material showing that large binding constants are not necessary for reversible detection of analytes.© 2011, American Chemical Society
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    Solid-state dendrimer sensors: probing the diffusion of an explosive analogue using neutron reflectometry
    (American Chemical Society, 2009-11-03) Cavaye, H; Smith, ARG; James, M; Nelson, A; Burn, PL; Gentle, IR; Lo, SC; Meredith, P
    Determining how analytes are sequestered into thin films is important for solid-state sensors that detect the presence of the analyte by oxidative luminescence quenching. We show that thin (230 ± 30 Å) and thick (750 ± 50 Å) films of a first-generation dendrimer comprised of 2-ethylhexyloxy surface groups, biphenyl-based dendrons, and a 9,9,9′,9′-tetra-n-propyl-2,2′-bifluorene core, can rapidly and reversibly detect p-nitrotoluene by oxidative luminescence quenching. For both the thin and thick films the photoluminescence (PL) is quenched by p-nitrotoluene by 90% in 4 s, which is much faster than that reported for luminescent polymer films. Combined PL and neutron reflectometry measurements on pristine and analyte-saturated films gave important insight into the analyte adsorption process. It was found that during the adsorption process the films swelled, being on average 4% thicker for both the thin and thick dendrimer films. At the same time the PL was completely quenched. On removal of the analyte the films returned to their original thickness and scattering length density, and the PL was restored, showing that the sensing process was fully reversible. © 2009, American Chemical Society