Fluorescence sensors based on a trifluoroacetophone compound doped in ethyl cellulose (EC) thin films have been developed for the detection of methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol (isopropanol, PriOH) vapors. Thin-film sensors are prepared with 4-dibutylamino-4’-(trifluoroacetyl)stilbene (Chromoionophore IX or CIX) as the fluorescent dye and its solution in EC was spin-coated onto glass slides. The luminescence intensity of the dye (555 nm) is quenched when exposed to alcohol vapor. Tested in the range of ca. 0 - 1.5 × 10<sup>4</sup> ppm (wt) for MeOH and EtOH, and ca. 0 - 2.3 × 10<sup>4</sup> ppm for Pr<sup>i</sup>OH, the sensors gave detection limits of 9, 13, 21 ppm and quantification limits of 32, 43, and 70 ppm, respectively. To enhance the sensitivity of the sensors, TiO<sub>2</sub> particles have been added to the films to induce Mie scattering, which increases the incident light interaction with the sensing films. The sensors in this work have been designed to work in a multianalyte platform for the simultaneous detection of multiple gas analytes.
KeywordsOptical Thin Film SensorsChromoionophore IX DyeAlcohol Vapor Detection
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