A simple fabrication of electrospun nanofiber sensing materials based on fluorophore-doped polymer

Abstract

A new method for fabricating fluorescent nanofibers as sensing materials was developed via the electrospinning technique using fluorophore-doped polymers. Fluorescent nanofibers with diameters in the range 200–600 nm were produced with fluorophores dispersed uniformly in the matrix. Sensing nanofibers with secondary porous structures were further achieved by introducing a porogen or deacetylation treament as a new approach, exhibiting unique morphologies with intra-fiber pores and obviously improved quenching sensitivity. Methyl violet was used as a model to investigate the sensing performance of a nanofiber membrane composed of cellulose acetate doped with 9-chloromethylanthracene. This work provides a simple and applicable strategy for the fabrication of sensing materials for optical sensor devices.