Simultaneous sensing of multiple gases by a single fluorescent-based gas sensor is of utmost importance for practical applications. Such sensing is strongly hindered by cross-sensitivity effects. In this study, we propose a novel analysis method to ameliorate such hindrance. The trial sensor used here was fabricated by coating platinum(II) meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PtTFPP) and eosin-Y dye molecules on both sides of a filter paper for sensing O₂ and NH₃ gases simultaneously. The fluorescent peak intensities of the dyes can be quenched by the analytes and this phenomenon is used to identify the gas concentrations. Ideally, each dye is only sensitive to one gas species. However, the fluorescent peak related to O₂ sensing is also quenched by NH₃ and vice versa. Such cross-sensitivity strongly hinders gas concentration detection. Therefore, we have studied this cross-sensitivity effect systematically and thus proposed a new analysis method for accurate estimation of gas concentration. Comparing with a traditional method (neglecting cross-sensitivity), this analysis improves O₂-detection error from −11.4% ± 34.3% to 2.0% ± 10.2% in a mixed background of NH₃ and N₂.

An optical sensor for the dual sensing of oxygen (${\mathrm{O}}_2$) and carbon dioxide (${\mathrm{CO}}_2$) based on sensing films coated on filter paper is proposed. Ethyl cellulose (EC) doped with platinum(II) meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PtTFPP) and 7-amino-4-trifluoromethyl coumarin serve as the oxygen sensing material and reference blue emission dye for the pH indicator, respectively. The ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ sensing layer includes the pH-sensitive fluorescent indicator 1-hydroxy-3,6,8-pyrenetrisulfonic acid trisodium salt immobilized within the EC. The ${\mathrm{O}}_2$- and ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$-sensitive materials can both be excited with a 405 nm LED, and the two emission wavelengths can be detected separately. The experimental result reveals that the optical ${\mathrm{O}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ sensors have sensitivities of $I_{{\mathrm{N}}_2}/I_{100\%{\mathrm{O}}_2}=22.8$ and $I_{{\mathrm{N}}_2}/I_{100\%{\mathrm{CO}}_2}=3.6$, respectively. The response times of the optical ${\mathrm{O}}_2$ sensor were 15 s upon switching from nitrogen to ${\mathrm{O}}_2$ and 41 s when moving from ${\mathrm{O}}_2$ to nitrogen (${\mathrm{N}}_2$). The response times of the optical ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ sensor were 7 s upon switching from 100% ${\mathrm{N}}_2$ to 100% ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ and 39 s when moving from 100% ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ to 100% ${\mathrm{N}}_2$. The proposed optical dual sensor can be used for the simultaneous sensing of ${\mathrm{O}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ concentrations in environmental applications.

Sensitivity is one of the crucial factors in determining the quality of a fluorescence/phosphorescence-based gas sensor, and is estimated from the measurement of responses (I₀/I, where I₀ and I refer to the measured optical intensity of a sensor in absence and presence of analyte molecules) at various concentrations of analytes. In this work, we demonstrate phosphorescence-based optical oxygen sensors fabricated on highly porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes showing dramatically high response. These sensors exploit the enormous surface area of the AAO to facilitate the effective interaction between the sensing molecules and the analytes. We spin-coat an AAO membrane (200 nm pore diameter) with a platinum-based oxygen sensing porphyrin dye, platinum(II) meso-tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl) porphyrin (PtTFPP), to fabricate a sensor exhibiting I₀/I ~400 at 100% oxygen atmosphere. To address the generality of the AAO membrane, we fabricate a separate sensor with another porphyrin dye, platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP), which exhibits an even higher I₀/I of ~500. Both of these sensors offer the highest responses as an optical oxygen sensor hitherto reported. SEM and EDS analysis are performed to realize the effect of the increased surface area of the AAO membrane on the enhanced sensitivity.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used to effectively detect various biological and organic molecules. This detection method needs analytes adsorbed onto a specific metal nanostructure, e.g., Ag-nanoparticles. A substrate containing such a structure (called SERS substrate) is user-friendly for people implementing the adsorption and subsequent SERS detection. Here, we report on powerful SERS substrates based on efficient fabrication of Ag-filled anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films. The films contain many nanopores with small as-grown inter-pore gap of 15 nm. The substrates are created by electrochemically depositing silver into nanopores without an additional pore widening process, which is usually needed for conventional two-step AAO fabrication. The created substrates contain well-separated Ag-nanoparticles with quite a small inter-particle gap and a high number density (2.5 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻²). We use one-step anodization together with omitting additional pore widening to improve the throughput of substrate fabrication. Such substrates provide a low concentration detection limit of 10⁻¹¹ M and high SERS enhancement factor of 1 × 10⁶ for rhodamine 6G (R6G). The effective detection of biological and organic molecules by the substrate is demonstrated with analytes of adenine, glucose, R6G, eosin Y, and methylene blue. These results allow us to take one step further toward the successful commercialization of AAO-based SERS substrates.

Simultaneous detection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen (O₂) has attracted considerable interest since CO₂ and O₂ play key roles in various industrial and domestic applications. In this study, a new approach based on a fluorescence ratiometric referencing method was reported to develop an optical dual sensor where platinum (II) meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PtTFPP) complex used as the O₂-sensitive dye, CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) combined with phenol red used as the CO₂-sensitive dye, and CdSe/ZnS QDs used as the reference dye for the simultaneous detection of O₂ and CO₂. All the dyes were immobilized in a gas-permeable matrix poly (isobutyl methacrylate) (PolyIBM) and subjected to excitation using a 380 nm LED. The as-obtained distinct fluorescence spectral intensities were alternately exposed to analyte gases to observe changes in the fluorescence intensity. In the presence of O₂, the fluorescence intensity of the Pt (II) complex was considerably quenched, while in the presence of CO₂, the fluorescence intensity of QDs was increased. The corresponding ratiometric sensitivities of the optical dual sensor for O₂ and CO₂ were approximately 13 and 144, respectively. In addition, the response and recovery for O₂ and CO₂ were calculated to be 10 s/35 s and 20 s/60 s, respectively. Thus, a ratiometric optical dual gas sensor for the simultaneous detection of O₂ and CO₂ was successfully developed. Effects of spurious fluctuations in the intensity of external and excitation sources were suppressed by the ratiometric sensing approach.