Sulfur-containing, triphenylamine-based red-emitting conjugated polymer/I- assembly as turn-on optical probe for mercury(II) ion

A type of sulfur-containing, triphenylamine-based red-emitting conjugated polymer, PFTD, was selected as optical probing platform for I- and Hg2+. Fluorescence of PFTD solution (in THF) was significantly quenched by the addition of I-, and the apparent color of this probing system turned from pale pink to yellow accordingly. Specificity for the detection of I- of PFTD was verified by competing experiments toward other common anionic ions, and the detection limit reaches similar to 2.3 x 10(-7) M (3 sigma). Owing to the high affinity between I- and Hg2+, absorption and fluorescence characteristics of PFTD/I- assembly recovered quickly with the presence of He. Common background cationic ions brought slight interference to the detection of He. Detection limit of similar to 1.1 x 10(-7) M (3 sigma) for Hg2+ can be obtained by PFTD/I-, suggests that PFTD can act as dual-channel, high selective, immediacy and sensitive optical probe for I- and Hg2+. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.