Preparation of a Novel Clay/Dye Composite and its Application in Contaminant Detection

Abstract

Abstract Although fluorescence detection is a sensitive method in the field of pollutant analysis, its application is restricted due to the fluorescence shown by organic material being quenched after aggregation and to low photo-thermal stability. To address these issues, a novel mineral/dye composite material was prepared by intercalating a fluorescence molecule, Rhodamine (R6G), into the interlayer space of montmorillonite (Mnt). This composite material greatly enhanced the light stability and efficiency of R6G. After enhancement, the fluorescence lifetime of R6G-Mnt was eight times longer than originally and the luminous intensity was 20 times greater. Chromium at the mmol/L (mM) level can be detected by the naked eye when its enhanced fluorescent property is fabricated into a solid test paper, even though a fluorescence spectrophotometer should be used for detection at the 0.01 μmol/L level in the sensing range 0.01 μmol/L to 100 mmol/L. These results can provide new avenues as well as a theoretical and experimental foundation for the development of novel supramolecular luminescent material.