Recognition of H <inf>2</inf>PO <inf>4</inf> - and Cu ²⁺ in Water by luminescent terbium silica xerogel

Abstract

Terbium silica hybrid material with imidazole ring that can be emissive in water has been designed and showed host-guest interactions with specific ions (cations and anions). In detail, we studied the sensing abilities of this material by addition of the anions H 2PO -4, HSO -4, F -, Cl -, Brand I - to water suspension of the derived powders. Only dihydrogen phosphate resulted in the quenching of the lanthanide luminescence (detection limit 10-5 M). The same way was found in Cu 2+ ions which also gave rise to luminescence quenching (detection limit 10 -5 M). More interestingly, luminescent sol-gel films were successfully prepared by the same materials and exhibited emission responses to H 2PO 4 - and Cu 2+. For the sake of improving its mechanical property, the robust and flexible inorganic/PMMA hybrid material with sensing capability was also developed for future use. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.