Novel triazole-based AIE materials: Dual-functional, highly sensitive and selective fluorescence probe

Abstract Two novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) blue-emission materials 4-N-(naphthalen-l-yl)-3,5-bis(4-diphenylamine) phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (TPA-TAZ-TPA) and 4-N-(naphthalen-l-yl)-3-(4-diphenlamin)phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (TPA-TAZ-Ph) were designed and synthesized. TPA-TAZ-TPA is a donor (D) - acceptor (A) - D type molecule, and TPA-TAZ-Ph is a D-A type molecule. Even both of them had not typical AIE units, they still possessed excellent AIE properties. Further, their spin-coated films were used as the fluorescence film probes for DNT vapor with rapid response, high sensitivity and selectivity. Additionally, they exhibited significant fluorescence quenching and color responses toward Fe3+ in aqueous solution, which suggested them fluorometric/colorimetric dual-channel probe to Fe3+.