Enhancing sensing of nitroaromatic vapours by thiophene-based polymer films

Optical sensing, via fluorescence quenching, of nitroaromatic vapours using polythiophenes has received limited attention due to their rather low sensory response. We hypothesized that a dipolar 1,2,3-triazole moiety can enhance the interaction of DNT and TNT with the polymer in thin films and bulky side chains can decrease the chain packing in thin films resulting in enhanced analyte diffusion. Herein we show that thin films of thiophene-based polymers containing 1,2,3-triazole with appropriate alkyl side chains show enhanced fluorescence quenching in the presence of nitroaromatic vapours.