title: Solvent-assistant self-assembly of an AIE+TICT fluorescent Schiff base for the improved ammonia detection.
abstract: Solvent-assistant self-assembly of an AIE+TICT fluorescent Schiff base into one-dimensional nanofilaments has been developed. The orientation of the assemblies can be controlled by a simple dewetting process: the filaments are interweaved when the self-assembly process is performed on a horizontal substrate, while tilting the substrate to a tiny angle results in the formation of highly oriented ones with long-range order as verified by microscopic examination. The compound shows remarkable fluorescent response to ammonia gas based on a TICT-LE transition. The self-assembled film presents higher detection sensitivity compared with the non-assembled test paper: the former enables 4.75 times faster response time and 6.86 times lower detection limit than the latter. Furthermore, the former demonstrates better selectivity toward ammonia gas in the presence of various organic amines. The sensing devices also enjoy the advantage of cyclic utilization. The fluorescence of the fumed devices can be converted back into the original state when they are heated at 100 °C for 5 min, as thermal treatment can desorb the ammonia gas that adsorbed in the sensing devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, 100048 Beijing, PR China. Electronic address: phanw@163.com.
authors.forename: Tianyu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, 100048 Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, 100048 Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, 100048 Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, 100048 Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, 100048 Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Liangyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
keywords: Aggregation-induced emission; Ammonia detection; Chemosensor; Nanofilaments; Schiff base; Self-assembly