A pyrene-based electropolymerized film as a solid-state platform for multi-bit memory storage and fluorescence sensing of nitroaromatics in aqueous solutions

Abstract

A polypyrene film of an osmium–terpyridine complex is deposited via anodic electropolymerization on ITO-coated glass electrodes. The optical properties of the film were electrically modulated to generate quintuple absorbance states, making the film a potential molecular alternative to silicon-based static random access memory (SRAM) devices. Moreover, the film could perceive nitroaromatics up to parts-per-million level concentrations in aqueous medium via fluorescence quenching.