Challenges in Fluorescence Detection of Chemical Warfare Agent Vapors Using Solid-State Films Shengqiang Fan, Guanran Zhang, Genevieve H. Dennison, Nicholas Fitzgerald, Paul L. Burn, Ian R. Gentle*, Paul E. Shaw* Dr S. Fan, Dr G. Zhang, Prof. P. L. Burn, Prof. I. R. Gentle, Dr P. E. Shaw Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia Email:
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[email protected] Dr G. H. Dennison, Dr N. Fitzgerald Defence Science & Technology Group, Land Division, Fishermans Bend, Vic 3207, Australia Keywords: nerve agent simulant, hydrolysis, fluorescence, sensing, solid-state Organophosphorus (OP)-based nerve agents are extremely toxic and potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and recent attacks involving nerve agents highlight the need for fast detection and intervention. Fluorescence-based detection, where the sensing material undergoes a chemical reaction with the agent causing a measurable change in the luminescence, is one method for sensing and identifying nerve agents. Most studies use the simulants diethylchlorophosphate (DCP) and di- iso-propylfluorophosphate (DFP) to evaluate the performance of sensors due to their reduced toxicity relative to the OP nerve agents. While detection of nerve agent simulants in solution is relatively widely reported there are fewer reports on vapor detection using solid-state This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1002/adma.201905785.