Optimization of Luminescent Metal-Organic Compounds for Oxygen Sensing Applications

Abstract

Oxygen sensing devices are valuable to several fields for medical, environmental, and pressure-sensing applications. Recent developments to optic fiber and waveguide technology have made luminescence-based molecular sensors more competitive than traditional sensing methods due to their easy modes of detection and portability. Several transition metal complexes have been investigated for their use as luminescent probes for the detection of molecular oxygen. Through studies that investigated their effectiveness in several different polymer matrices including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly-(1-trimethylsilyl)-propyne (PTMSP), it was determined that compounds immobilized in PDMS were more stable while compounds immobilized in PTMSP were more sensitive. A more homogeneous dispersion was found to be achieved in PDMS compared to PTMSP, paving a path for potential sensing applications. This work provides the basis of a promising design of more robust oxygen sensors based on the incorporation of a more rigid ligand frame to stabilize metal complexes.