Aggregation-Induced Emission Supramolecular Organic Framework (AIE SOF) Gels Constructed from Supramolecular Polymer Networks Based on Tripodal Pillar[5]arene for Fluorescence Detection and Efficient Removal of Various Analytes

Herein, an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) supramolecular organic framework gel (SOF-TPN-G) was successfully constructed from novel supramolecular polymer networks based on tripodal pillar[5]arene. The SOF-TPN-G shows fluorescent response for multiple metal ions. Interestingly, by introducing Fe3+, Cu2+, Cr3+, Ag+, Tb3+, and Eu3+ into the SOF-TPN-G, respectively, a series of metallogels (SOF-Ms) with multicolor fluorescence was obtained. Moreover, based on these gels, an eight-unit sensor array was successfully developed, which exhibits a highly sensitive fluorescent response for Fe3+, Cu2+, Cr3+, Ag+, Tb3+, Eu3+, F–, CN–, HSO4–, His, Ser, and Cys. Among them, the detection for Fe3+, Cr3+, Tb3+, Eu3+, CN–, F– and Ser reached an ultrasensitive level: the lowest limits of detection (LODs) for these ions and molecules are 7.90 × 10–9, 9.20 × 10–9, 6.60 × 10–9, 6.80 × 10–10, 3.83 × 10–9, 3.26 × 10–9, and 3.37 × 10–9 M, respectively. More importantly, the xerogel of SOF-TPN-G exhibits nice adsorption capacity for multimetal ions (Fe3+, Ag+, Cr3+, Tb3+, Cu2+, and Eu3+), the absorption percentages for them were 98.30%, 99.57%, 98.80%, 98.30%, 99.34% and 98.40%, respectively. These AIE organogel/metallogels are novel multiresponsive fluorescent materials for high-efficiency detection and separation of multianalytes.