Recent advances in fluorescent film sensing from the perspective of both molecular design and film engineering

Abstract

Fluorescence is now a dominant technology and is used extensively in many fields owing to its incomparable properties. On account of its advantages, scientists and engineers have been investigating novel and powerful fluorescent sensors and sensor arrays for real-life applications, in which the construction of high-performance fluorescent films plays a prominent role. The appropriate immobilization of suitable fluorescent sensing elements onto a given substrate is an efficient way to construct usable fluorescent films. Molecular design and film fabrication are two key issues in the development of films because they determine the sensing performance of the films. Via the careful design and selection of sensing fluorophores, the development of convenient film fabrication strategies and the study of the relevant sensing dynamics, a variety of fluorescent sensing films with desirable sensing performance have been developed over at least the last ten years. This review describes recent progress in this important area of science, which combines surface and interface chemistry, photophysics and materials science.