Spun films of perylene diimide derivative for the detection of organic vapors with host–guest principle

The optical characterization and chemical vapor sensing properties of 1,7-dibromo-N,N′-(bicyclohexyl)-3,4:9,10-perylene diimide thin film against to organic vapors were discussed in this study by using spin coating, UV–Vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) techniques. The perylene diimide thin films were fabricated with a refractive index values from 1.55 to 1.60 and thicknesses in the range between 15.80 and 26.32 nm using different spin speeds from 1000 to 5000 rpm. In this study, perylene diimide thin film sensor was exposed to dichloromethane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, tetrahydrofuran and ethyl acetate vapors by using both SPR and QCM techniques. Also, the swelling behaviors of the perylene diimide thin films prepared at different spin speeds were investigated with respect to dichloromethane vapor at the room temperature by using SPR data. Diffusion coefficients were found to be 11.34 × 10−17 (1000 rpm), 2.56 × 10−17 (3000 rpm) and 0.38 × 10−17 cm2 s−1 (5000 rpm) for dichloromethane vapor by using the Fick’s law of diffusion. It might be proposed that perylene diimide thin film optical chemical sensor element has a good sensitivity and selectivity for the dichloromethane vapor at room temperature.