This study concerns the design of surface acoustic wave sensors functionalized with bisphenol S based molecules for lead ions detection. (4-hydroxyphenyl, 4′-benzyloxyphenyl) sulfone (M1), (4-hydroxyphenyl,4′-anthrylmethyloxyphenyl) sulfone (M2) and (4,4′-bis (anthrylmethyloxyphenyl)) sulfone (M3) were synthesized and then drop-coated on the SAWs sensing areas. Gravimetric results indicate that the limit of detection of the three sensors is in the picomolar range and that the M3/SAW sensor has the highest affinity towards lead ions compared to M1/SAW and M2/SAW. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were investigated to support experimental results and to understand the nature of interactions involved between lead ions and the three synthetized molecules.

Due to the holes high transport mobility, anthracene derivates are widely used for the elaboration of OLEDs and other organic thin-layer-based electronic, such as transistors and photovoltaic cells. This study aims to investigate the electric properties of two new anthracene derivatives: 9-{[4-({[4-(9 anthrylmethoxy)phenyl]sulfanyl}methyl)] methyl]anthracene (TDP-AN) and 4-(9-anthrylmethoxy) benzyl[4-(9-anthrylmethoxy)phenyl]sulfone (BPS-AN). The main difference between them is related to the functional group between the two central phenyls. Conductance measurements results show a frequency-independent behaviour, for low frequencies ranging between 0.1 and 100 KHz, while they exhibit a power law model for higher ones. BPS-AN was found more conductive than the TDP-AN. Impedance spectroscopy (IS) was then investigated to understand the charge carrier mechanisms in both TDP-AN and BPS-AN molecules. Measurements were carried out in the frequency range 100 Hz – 10 MHz at different bias voltages (from 0 V to 3 V). The obtained results permitted to confirm that the conductivity of BPS-AN is superior to that of TDP-AN.

104 MHz-surface acoustic wave sensors have been functionalized with three new anthracenederivatives for the detection of mercury and copper heavy ions: 2,2-bis(4 anthracenylme,thoxy-1,1′-biphenyl(BP-AN), 9-{[4-({[4-(9anthrylmethoxy)phenyl]sulfanyl}methyl)]methyl] anthracene (TDP-AN) and 4-(9-anthrylmethoxy) benzyl [4-(9-anthrylmethoxy) phenyl] sulfone (BPS-AN). Gravimetric results indicate that, compared to TDP-AN and BPS-AN, BP-AN based chemsensor has the highest affinitytowards the two investigated ions.The corresponding sensitivities were of order of 3.67 × 10⁸ °/M and 2.24 × 10⁸ °/M for Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ respectively. The limit of detection of the BP-AN-SAW chemsensor, of order of 1 pM, is one of the lowest values ever reported in the literature. Experimental results were supported by quantum chemical calculations, based on the density functional theory.