title: Turning fluorescent dyes into Cu(II) nanosensors.
abstract: There is great interest in the self-organization of the proper subunits as a new strategy for the realization of fluorescent chemosensors. In this article, it is shown that commercially available fluorescent dyes, functionalized with triethoxysilane moieties, can be converted into fluorescent chemosensors by simple inclusion into silica nanostructures. Dye-doped silica nanoparticles and thin films detect Cu(II) ions in the micromolar range by the quenching of fluorescence emission. The different response toward Zn(II), Ni(II), and Co(II) metal ions was also investigated and is reported. The self-organization of the silica structures leads, at the same time, to the formation of metal ion binding sites as well as to the linking of a fluorescent reporter in their proximity. Structural features of the materials, particularly particle size and network porosity, strongly affect their ability to act as fluorescent sensors.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arduini
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcuz
authors.forename: Mariachiara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montolli
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rampazzo
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mancin
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Armelao
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tecilla
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tonellato