Optical evaluation of dansyl derivatives and their implementation in low-cost and flexible dye-doped PMMA platforms for efficient detection of hazardous chemical vapours

Abstract

This work investigates the creation and analysis of six novel dansyl derivatives (named L1 to L6) and their incorporation into PMMA polymers for environmental sensing purposes. The properties of these derivatives were extensively examined in different solvents and solid states. Notably, they exhibited a significant change in color depending on the solvent's polarity, suggesting their potential to assess microenvironmental polarity. Moreover, these derivatives showed promising capabilities in selectively detecting Cu2+ and Hg2+ metal ions in acetonitrile solution, forming individual species with these metals. Furthermore, their responsiveness to changes in acidity and basicity was explored both in acetonitrile solution and within a PMMA polymer matrix, indicating their potential for pH-sensitive applications. By integrating these derivatives into PMMA polymers, acid-base sensitive materials were produced, suitable for monitoring environmental conditions such as hazardous gas detection and pH level changes. This integration addresses the solubility challenges of dansyl compounds and broadens their use in various sensing applications.