Time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy of trinitrobenzene-responsive organic nanofibers

Time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy is used to image and analyze quantitatively the influence of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene on the fluorescence of organic nanofibers. These nanofibers are formed by self-assembly of 2,3-didecyloxyanthracene in methanol or from solutions drop-casted onto glass surfaces. Amplification of the fluorescence quenching emerges in the nanofibers as compared to the constituting monomer thus leading to efficient detection of nanomolar concentrations of TNB. The emission of dry nanofibers on glass is also efficiently quenched by vapors of TNB.