Ethyl Cellulose Films Research Articles

Leaftronics: Natural lignocellulose scaffolds for sustainable electronics.

The global rise in electronic waste is alarming, driven by the persistent use of glass, epoxy, and plastic substrates owing to their cost, stability, flexibility, and transparency. This underscores the need for biodegradable alternatives with similar properties. This study shows that leaf-derived lignocellulose scaffolds can stabilize bio-sourced, solution-processed polymers by acting as natural sequestering media. Such reinforced films, even when based on gelatin (Tg ~ 60°C), can endure processes over 200°C. We demonstrate dip-coated ethyl cellulose films for commercially viable reflow soldered circuitry. The films offer high flexibility, more than 80% transparency, and surface roughness below 5.5 nm. Advanced OPDs and OECTs fabricated on these films perform comparably to those on glass and the low material cost and simple fabrication process yields a minimal carbon footprint of 1.6 kgCO2/m2. This work thus opens a vista of possibilities for biodegradable polymers heretofore considered unsuitable for making temperature-stable substrates for state-of-the-art electronics applications.

Incorporation of myrtle essential oil into hydrolyzed ethyl cellulose films for enhanced antimicrobial packaging applications

This research delved into examining the impact of hydrolysis and incorporation of Myrtle essential oil (MEO) on the film-forming and antimicrobial characteristics of ethyl cellulose polymer (EC). Three plasticizers (glycerol, mono ethylene glycol, and oleic acid) were evaluated for film-forming ability. The composite biofilms' structure was assessed through SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and DSC. Eventually, the combination of hydrolyzed EC with oleic acid yielded a flexible film with optimal thickness. Utilizing GC-MS analysis, α-pinene was identified as the predominant compound within MEO, conferring both antioxidant and antibacterial attributes. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed MEO's participation in the film-forming matrix through hydrogen bonding. By incorporating the MEO into the matrix, the WVP decreased significantly to 6.15*10–12 gmm/hmm2Pa considering that the hydrophobic feature of MEO can block the diffusion of water and decrease the WVP. The melting point and enthalpy of the polymer matrix containing MEO decreased that could be attributable to the EOs plasticizing impact, which increases the polymer chain mobility, and thereby hinders the strong interactions between polymer molecules. From the morphological finding, even at higher concentrations, MEO did not form agglomerations in the film matrix, highlighting its excellent compatibility with the microstructure of the resulting films. The film containing MEO showed the acceptable antioxidant activity. Furthermore, films containing MEO substantially decreased S. aureus biofilm development at 24 and 48 h, compared to P. aeruginosa and E. coli. These findings suggest potential applications of the developed film in packaging and preservation.

Hybrid Ethylcellulose Polymeric Films: Ag(I)-Based Components and Curcumin as Reinforcing Ingredients for Enhanced Food Packaging Properties.

Bio-active ethylcellulose (EC) polymeric films have been obtained by incorporating curcumin (curc) and Ag(I)-based compounds, known for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, respectively, within the polymeric matrix. The recently reported Ag(I) coordination polymer, in both its structural forms (α-[(bpy)Ag(OTf)]∞ and β-{[(bpy)Ag][OTf]}∞), and the [(bpy)Ag(OTf)]∞-curc polymeric co-crystal (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine; OTf=trifluoromethanesulfonate) have been selected as Ag(I) species. The hybrid composite films have been prepared through the simple solvent casting method and characterized through Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), UV-vis spectroscopy. The deep investigation of the film samples highlighted the non-inert behaviour of EC towards these specific active ingredients. Antimicrobial tests showed that EC films embedding the Ag(I)-based compounds present good antimicrobial performance, in particular against Staphylococcus aureus, used as a model of Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, Silver migration tests, performed on the Ag(I)-incorporating EC films, evidenced low values of silver release particularly in the case of the EC films incorporating [(bpy)Ag(OTf)]∞-curc.

Electrical Conduction Mechanisms in Ethyl Cellulose Films under DC and AC Electric Fields.

This work reports the dielectric behavior of the biopolymer ethyl cellulose (EC) observed from transient currents experiments under the action of a direct current (DC) electric field (~107 V/m) under vacuum conditions. The viscoelastic response of the EC was evaluated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), observing a mechanical relaxation related to glass transition of around ~402 K. Furthermore, we propose a mathematical framework that describes the transient current in EC using a fractional differential equation, whose solution involves the Mittag-Leffler function. The fractional order, between 0 and 1, is related to the energy dissipation rate and the molecular mobility of the polymer. Subsequently, the conduction mechanisms are considered, on the one hand, the phenomena that occur through the polymer-electrode interface and, on the other hand, those which manifest themselves in the bulk material. Finally, alternating current (AC) conductivity measurements above the glass transition temperature (~402 K) and in a frequency domain from 20 Hz to 2 MHz were carried out, observing electrical conduction described by the segmental movements of the polymeric chains. Its electrical properties also position EC as a potential candidate for electrical, electronics, and mechatronics applications.

Cellulose extraction from rice straw waste for biodegradable ethyl cellulose films preparation using green chemical technology

A green process was devised to effectively extract cellulose from recycled rice straw waste, subsequently ethylating and modifying it into ethyl cellulose (EC), and ultimately blending the EC with ethanol to obtain biodegradable films. The optimal process conditions at each stage were investigated. An assessment was conducted on the crystallinity and thermal stability of rice straw cellulose (RSC), the degree of substitution of EC, and the biodegradability and mechanical properties of EC-ethanol films. The results demonstrated the following: The optimal process conditions resulted in a 95.73 % yield of extracted RSC, a type I crystalline structure, a 31.20 % increase in relative crystallinity, and thermal stability with a main weight loss peak at 340 °C. Under ideal ethylation conditions, the EC production reached 79.60 %, while the degree of substitution ranged from 2.0 to 2.5. After being landfilled in soil for 100 days, the EC-ethanol films degraded at rates of 6.77 %, 4.78 %, and 3.13 % (film concentrations were 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 g/mL (w/v, EC/ethanol), respectively). Based on the analysis of the films' FT-IR and SEM images, it was concluded that the EC-ethanol films exhibit favorable biodegradability. Moreover, the tensile strength of 0.04 g/mL film reaches up to 44.60 MPa. Hence, the EC-ethanol films in this research could be an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to plastic films.

Natural resin as a biosource and bio-based plasticizer for edible resin/ethylcellulose composite film preparation.

Nowadays, finding natural and inexpensive resources that can be easily used to make food films has been considered. Despite the widespread use of synthetic resins, natural resins are rarely used. Opopanax resin (OR) was used in this study as a new biosource to prepare the hydrophobic edible film. Ethylcellulose (EC) was blended well with the resin, allowing the formation of a composite film. Film preparation was possible using different amounts of OR and EC. It was interesting that OR had a plasticizing effect on EC film. While using up to 33% w/w glycerol could not produce an elastic EC film, using only 8.5% w/w OR produced a stiff and flexible EC film with lower water sensitivity. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis showed that the strength of C-O-C and CH bonds in OR + EC film was higher than in EC film. Despite the higher water sensitivity of OR-based composite films than EC-based composite films, they had lower water vapor permeability (WVP) and higher contact angle due to their smoother and more homogeneous film structures with lower porosity, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The mechanical properties showed that the film with the highest resin content had the lowest tensile strength (~ 0.4MPa) and the higher elongation at break (~ 67%) and, therefore, the highest flexibility. The use of natural resins as a biosource is a promising approach in food packaging to prepare hydrophobic films with desirable mechanical properties.

Bioactive Ag(I) coordination complexes as dopants for castor oil plasticized ethylcellulose films.

The effects exerted by new bioactive acylpyrazolonate Ag(I) derivatives of the general formula [Ag(QPy,CF3)(R-Im)] containing different substituents on the imidazole (R-Im) ancillary ligands and the natural plasticizer castor oil when both are added to the ethylcellulose (EC) biopolymer in the preparation of thin films as potential active food packaging materials are presented. The Ag(I) complexes [Ag(QPy,CF3)(Bn-Im)] and [Ag(QPy,CF3)(Bu-Im)], having benzyl and butyl substituents, whose single crystal molecular structures are reported, have proved to be highly compatible for efficient incorporation between the EC polymer and the hydrophobic plasticizer chains, giving rise, even at low concentrations, to homogeneous, robust and elastic films. The concomitant presence of these Ag(I) complexes and castor oil in the polymer EC matrix gives rise to thin films with improved antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a model of Gram-negative bacterial strains when compared to the non-plasticized ones, with very low Ag(I) migration in the three food simulants used (distilled water, ethanol 10% v/v and acetic acid 3% v/v) under two assay conditions (70 °C for 2 h and 40 °C for 10 days).

The use of ethyl cellulose film lifts to collect particle traces from exposed adhesive on the edges of duct tape

Environmentally acquired particles (EAP), trapped along the edges of duct tape in the exposed adhesive, are a possible source of information regarding prior exposures of the tape and a possible means to associate duct tape rolls to segments of duct tape that are collected as traces during the investigation of criminal activity. The recovery and separation of EAP is complicated by (1) the need to separate the particles from the adhesive, and (2) the presence of adhesive filler and pigment particles that are part of adhesive formulations. Approaches such as cutting the tape edge, followed by solvent extraction, or swabbing of the duct tape edges using solvents, result in thousands of adhesive filler/pigment particles, overwhelming much smaller numbers of EAP. A recovery method has been developed employing a 10% solution of ethylcellulose (EC) in ethanol. Duct tape segments are pressed onto a glass plate and a bead of the viscous EC solution is pipetted along the edge. After drying, the EC forms a robust film that is peeled away from the tape edge, lifting the EAP along with only very small amounts of adhesive. The film lift (containing EC, duct tape adhesive and EAP) can be examined directly by steromicroscopy and particles of interest can be removed by softening the film using locally applied ethanol. Particles can be examined in situ by transmitted light microscopy using glycerol as a mounting medium to match the EC film. Batch recovery of particles from the film can be achieved by dissolution of the film lift in xylene and washing to remove adhesive residues. Xylene is then removed by washing with ethanol, leaving an ethanol suspension of EAP along with the duct tape filler/pigment particles. Larger particles can be separated by sieving and smaller particles can be recovered by filtration. This method was found to efficiently collect EAP found trapped along the edges of duct tape in the exposed adhesive, as well as for the preparation of these particles for microscopical and instrumental analysis. Limitations, not fully evaluated, include the loss or alteration of some particle types by dissolution, agitation and filtration steps. Further development of this method is expected to provide a means to recover trace particles from the edges of other types of tape and from related adhesive products such as stamps and labels.

Fabrication of bioplastic material based on ethyl-cellulose using hot-melt extrusion

Ethyl-cellulose (EC) was used for thermal fabrication of bioplastic materials using hot-melt extrusion. Plasticizers were chosen based on compatibility analysis using Hansen Solubility Parameters theory. The thermal analysis showed lower Tg and Tm values for all samples, suggesting the extrusion process, as well as plasticizer addition, affected the polymer thermal behavior. Myvacet® (acetylated monoglycerides) had the most significant effect, decreasing the Tg from 128.73 ± 0.83 to 113.52 ± 0.36 ℃ and the Tm from 178.41 ± 0.79 to 166.66 ± 0.64 ℃. Overall, all plasticizers led to thermoplastic mechanical behavior characterized by elastic and plastic deformations, as opposed to the solely elastic behavior of the neat EC films, confirming the plasticizing effect. Moreover, the plasticized films exhibited significantly higher tensile strength and percent of elongation at break, resulting in stronger and more flexible films. EC-based films exhibit high permeability to oxygen and relatively high water vapor transmission rate (∼100 g/m2day at 38 ℃ and 90% RH) which signifies EC suitability as packaging material for fresh produce.

Green synthesis of stretchable ethyl cellulose film plasticized with transesterified sunflower oil

Sustainability and environmental consciousness drive research toward biomaterials and green synthesis. Traditional plasticizers derived from non-renewable sources have raised concerns due to their adverse impact on the environment and human health. As a result, there is a growing interest in replacing these traditional plasticizers with inexpensive naturally derived alternatives. One such promising compound that has gained considerable attention is vegetable oil. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using transesterified sunflower oil as a plasticizer for ethyl cellulose (EC), a widely used hydrophobic biopolymer. The transesterification reaction, accelerated by the catalyst NaOH, resulted in the formation of short chemical compounds that improved the plasticity of EC films. The mechanical studies demonstrated a remarkable elongation break of approximately 94 %, setting a new record for this type of film. The plasticization process was confirmed through rheological and XRD studies, revealing a notable reduction in the elastic chain and crystallinity of the EC structure. The proposed process advances the state of the art in ethyl cellulose plasticization and stands out for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and environment-friendly approach. The synthesized films offer exciting possibilities for use in various applications including food packaging, transdermal drug delivery systems, and stretchable electronics.

A cyclometalated N-heterocyclic carbene and acetylacetonate ligands in a phosphorescent Pt(II) dye for sensing glucose

New β-diketonate platinum (II) complexes, containing a cyclometalated N-heterocyclic carbene [Pt(Naph^C*iPr)(acac)] (3A) (HNaph^C*-κC* = 3-isopropyl-1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-1H-imidazole-2-ylidene), or a cyclometalated pyrazole, [Pt(Naph^Npz)(acac)] (3B) (HC^Npz = 1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole) and [Pt(Naph^Ndmpz)(acac)] (3B') (HC^Ndmpz = 1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-1H-3,5-dimethylpyrazole) have been prepared and characterized. Their absorption and emission properties in films of ethyl cellulose (EC) were determined along with those of the already reported for complex [Pt(Naph^C*Me)(acac)] (3A'). They showed that all four β-diketonate complexes display a bright phosphorescent emission with maxima in the blue region (λmax ∼ 480 nm for 3A and 3A'; 490 nm 3B and 3B'). The higher quantum yield (QY), longer decay times and greater oxygen sensitivity were exhibited by the Naph^C* derivatives, compared to the Naph^N ones. Polyacrylamide membranes with entrapped 3A' as dye, and glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme were used for monitoring glucose level. The RSD is about 5% and the detection limit is at ∼5·10−4 M, with a response time usually of 10–15 min working in stop-flow mode. These platinum-based membranes respond reversibly to glucose for, at least, 20 measures. 3A’ is the first Pt(II) complex bearing a cyclometalated N-heterocyclic carbene ever used as dye for sensing glucose.

Molecular transport of aromatic hydrocarbons through ethyl cellulose – Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blends

The evaluation of transport characteristics of membranes is crucial for understanding and controlling their separation properties and function in the dehydration process. In this study, the hydrophilic ethyl cellulose (EC) is modified by blending it with moderately hydrophobic acrylonitrile–butadienestyrene (ABS) copolymer to obtain desired flux and selectivity. The blend thin films (ABC) were prepared by solvent casting method and the non-porous (dense) nature of the ABC films were revealed from the FESEM analysis. The FTIR analysis confirms the blend formation. The surface wettability of the films was determined by water contact angle studies. The contact angle values were maximum for pure ABS films and minimum for pure EC films. As evident from TGA, blends prepared were thermally stable upto 300℃. UV–Visible spectroscopic data confirms the absorbance of UV radiation and transmittance of visible light through the pristine and blend films. The transport behavior of the ABC thin films was studied using three hydrocarbons viz. benzene, toluene and xylene. The effect of penetrant size and temperature on permeation were analysed in detail.

Experimental and numerical investigations on the inhibition of freeze–thaw damage of cement-based materials by a methyl laurate/diatomite microcapsule phase change material

The freeze–thaw damage of cement-based materials is a widely considered durability problem, which can be effectively inhibited by keeping its temperature over freezing point. In this paper, a methyl laurate/diatomite microcapsule phase change material (CPCM) was fabricated by porous adsorption and microencapsulation. It is found that an ethyl cellulose film is suitable as a packaging film of CPCM, and it can effectively prevent the leakage of methyl laurate during the phase change process. Based on the BET, XRD, FT-IR and TG-DSC tests, it was proven that the methyl laurate/diatomite CPCM has good chemical stability and thermal stability. The phase change temperature of the CPCM ranges from −1.75 °C to −5.51 °C, and the latent heat value is 65.70 J/g. The methyl laurate/diatomite CPCM was incorporated into cement paste at 10 %, 15 % and 20 % mass fractions, and the mass loss of the cement paste in freeze–thaw cycles can be reduced by up to 57 %; however, the mechanical properties of the cement paste decrease with increasing mass fraction of CPCM. Finally, a thermal transfer numerical model of the cement-based material with CPCM was established, based on which the simulation results agree well with the experimental values. The results show that the existence of CPCM could maintain the temperature of the specimen above zero for 4 h at an ambient temperature of −10 °C. The CPCM prepared in this study can significantly enhance the frost resistance of cement paste.

Formation and characterization of konjac glucomannan/ethyl cellulose films by using ethanol and water as the solvents

Hydrophilic konjac glucomannan (KGM)/hydrophobic ethyl cellulose (EC) film was prepared in the ethanol/water environment. The film-forming solution and film properties were both characterized to analyze the molecular interaction changes. Although higher ethanol usage enhanced the stability of the film-forming solution, it did not benefit the film property improvement. The SEM images showed some fibrous structure on the air surface of the films, consistent with the XRD results. The changing trend of mechanical properties and the FTIR results suggested that both ethanol content and ethanol evaporation impacted the molecular interaction during the film formation. The surface hydrophobicity results indicated that the ethanol content could cause significant EC aggregation changes on the film surface only with high EC contents. The water vapor permeability results suggested that higher ethanol usage decreased the compactness of the films. Considering all results, the 20 % ethanol content and the weight ratio of KGM: EC = 7:3 were suggested for the film preparation due to the superior properties in most properties. This study contributed to the understanding of polysaccharide interaction in the ethanol/water environment and offered an alternative biodegradable packaging film.

Recyclable ethyl cellulose film modified by rosin based quaternary ammonium salt for antimicrobial packaging

Antibacterial food packaging can effectively extend the shelf life of food. The bactericidal activity of rosin quaternary ammonium salt has been demonstrated in highly efficient. In this study, a new type of rosin quaternary ammonium salt antibacterial agent was grafted onto ethyl cellulose (EC-B), and the EC/EC-B recyclable composite films (0.5/1/3 wt% EC-B) for packaging material were then prepared by solution casting. These films have high transparency (> 93 % of 400 nm ultraviolet transmittance) and decent tensile strength (∼25 MPa). Because of the grafting of rosin based quaternary ammonium salt, the 1 wt% EC-B/EC film has a satisfactory bactericidal rate (> 97 %) toward both gram-positive and negative bacteria, suggesting its potential broad-spectrum antibacterial effect. In the experiment of food preservation, the apple slices packed with the film doped with 1 wt% EC-B maintained high freshness after three days storage. After two recycling loops, the tensile strength and the bactericidal rate for S. aureus and E. coli of the film were retained at 80 %, 93 %, and 80 % of the initial, respectively. This work explored the feasibility of using recyclable antibacterial cellulose composite in food packaging applications.

An oxygen-sensitive cyclometalated platinum(II) complex with a triphenylamine modified acetylacetone derivative

A cyclometalated Pt(II) complex [Pt(ppy)(TPA-dpa)] Pt2 with a triphenylamine (TPA) substituted diphenyl-1,3-propanedionate (dpa) as auxiliary ligand was designed and synthesized. The effects of the TPA moiety on the photophysical, electrochemical and oxygen sensing properties of the corresponding Pt(II) complex were systematically investigated compared with non-TPA-modified complexes [Pt(ppy)(dpa)] Pt1 and Pt(ppy)(acac). The maximum emission wavelength of Pt2 exhibits a notable redshift (71 nm) with respect to Pt(ppy)(acac). More importantly, the lifetime (25.52 µs) of Pt2 is significantly prolonged compared with those of Pt1 (0.32 µs) and Pt(ppy)(acac) (2.60 µs). Pt2 is highly sensitive to molecular oxygen when immobilized in an ethyl cellulose film. In addition, the oxygen sensing films have excellent reversibility during the quenching and recovering processes.

Design and Optimization of a Nanoparticulate Pore Former as a Multifunctional Coating Excipient for pH Transition-Independent Controlled Release of Weakly Basic Drugs for Oral Drug Delivery.

Bioavailability of weakly basic drugs may be disrupted by dramatic pH changes or unexpected pH alterations in the gastrointestinal tract. Conventional organic acids or enteric coating polymers cannot address this problem adequately because they leach out or dissolve prematurely, especially during controlled release applications. Thus, a non-leachable, multifunctional terpolymer nanoparticle (TPN) made of cross-linked poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA)-polysorbate 80-grafted-starch (PMAA-PS 80-g-St) was proposed to provide pH transition-independent release of a weakly basic drug, verapamil HCl (VER), by a rationally designed bilayer-coated controlled release bead formulation. The pH-responsive PMAA and cross-linker content in the TPN was first optimized to achieve the largest possible increase in medium uptake alongside the smallest decrease in drug release rate at pH 6.8, relative to pH 1.2. Such TPNs maintained an acidic microenvironmental pH (pHm) when loaded in ethylcellulose (EC) films, as measured using pH-indicating dyes. Further studies of formulations revealed that with the 1:2 VER:TPN ratio and 19% coating weight gain, bilayer-coated beads maintained a constant release rate over the pH transition and exhibited extended release up to 18 h. These results demonstrated that the multifunctional TPN as a pHm modifier and pH-dependent pore former could overcome the severe pH-dependent solubility of weakly basic drugs.

Preparation and Properties of Vegetable-Oil-Based Thioether Polyol and Ethyl Cellulose Supramolecular Composite Films

Ethyl cellulose (EC), an important biomass-based material, has excellent film-forming properties. Nevertheless, the high interchain hydrogen bond interaction leads to a high glass transition temperature of EC, which makes it too brittle to be used widely. The hydroxyl group on EC can form a supramolecular system in the form of a non-covalent bond with an effective plasticizer. In this study, an important vegetable-oil-based derivative named dimer fatty acid was used to prepare a novel special plasticizer for EC. Dimer-fatty-acid-based thioether polyol (DATP) was synthesized and used to modify ethyl cellulose films. The supramolecular composite films of DATP and ethyl cellulose were designed using the newly-formed van der Waals force. The thermal stability, morphology, hydrophilicity, and mechanical properties of the composite films were all tested. Pure EC is fragile, and the addition of DATP makes the ethyl cellulose films more flexible. The elongation at the break of EC supramolecular films increased and the tensile strength decreased with the increasing DATP content. The elongation at the break of EC/DATP (60/40) and EC/DATP (50/50) was up to 40.3% and 43.4%, respectively. Noticeably, the thermal initial degradation temperature of the film with 10% DATP is higher than that of pure EC, which may be attributed to the formation of a better supramolecular system in this composite film. The application of bio-based material (EC) is environmentally friendly, and the novel DATP can be used as a special and effective plasticizer to prepare flexible EC films, making it more widely used in energy, chemical industry, materials, agriculture, medicine, and other fields.

Accelerating autonomic healing of cementitious composites by using nano calcium carbonate coated polypropylene fibers

Fibers can enhance self-healing of concrete by restricting crack propagation and supplying nucleation sites in cracks. To further improve the self-healing effect of fiber concrete, a new strategy of fiber modification for self-healing is proposed herein. In this study, polypropylene (PP) fibers were coated with nano calcium carbonate as nano seedings and ethyl cellulose film as a protective layer. The protective layer can inhibit the interactions of coated nano seedings with cement matrix before cracking. While after mortar mixing and cracking, the protective layer was gradually removed due to shear stress in mixing and friction during fiber pull-out in cracking processes, respectively. With the elimination of the protective layer, the remaining nano calcium carbonate coating at around 5.6 % of fiber mass could be exposed to cracks, thereby accelerating healing product generations by hydration and calcium carbonate precipitation, which was verified by scanning electron microscopic observations, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry analysis. Owing to the effects of modified fibers, closure of 300–500 μm wide cracks was enhanced and 100 % recovery of water tightness was subsequently achieved.

Modulation of the oxygen sensing properties of iridium (III) complexes by changing their substitution groups

In this study, new bis-cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes bearing different ligated groups (–H, –OCH3, –F, –CH3) at the aryl moiety (Ir-1, Ir-2, Ir-3 and Ir-4) were synthesized and characterized. Then oxygen sensing properties of corresponding complexes were investigated in EC film. The complexes showed room temperature phosphorescence spectra in the range of 562–590 nm in THF and 546–554 nm in ethyl cellulose (EC) matrix. When they were incorporated in an ethyl cellulose matrix, the probes showed optimal dynamics of luminescence for oxygen monitoring in the range from 0 % to 100 % air saturation. The I0/I100 values of Ir-1, Ir-2, Ir-3 and Ir-4 in EC thin film were calculated as 10.9, 5.0, 7.3 and 22.7, respectively. The results showed that the oxygen sensitivity accomplishment of the complex core can be fine-tuned by varying these ligated groups, and the weak electron-donating properties of the methyl groups at the aryl moiety improve remarkably the optical oxygen sensing abilities of the Iridium (III) complexes.