Fluorescence detection of nitrogen dioxide with perylene/PMMA thin films

Abstract Thin films of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) doped with perylene provide selective, robust and easily prepared optical sensor films for NO 2 gas with suitable response times for materials aging applications. The materials are readily formed as 200 nm thin spin cast films on glass from chlorobenzene solution. The fluorescence emission of the films ( λ max =442 nm) is quenched upon exposure to NO 2 gas through an irreversible reaction forming non-fluorescent nitroperylene. Infrared, UV–VIS and fluorescence spectroscopies confirmed the presence of the nitro adduct in the films. In other atmospheres examined, such as air and 1000 ppm concentrations of SO 2 , CO, Cl 2 and NH 3 , the films exhibited no loss of fluorescence intensity over a period of days to weeks. Response curves were obtained for 1000, 100 and 10 ppm NO 2 at room temperature with equilibration times varying from hours to weeks. The response curves were fit using a numerical solution to the coupled diffusion and a nonlinear chemical reaction problem assuming that the situation is reaction limiting. The forward reaction constant fitted to experimental data was k f ∼0.06 (ppm min) −1 .