X Workshop Nazionale AICIng. Materiali e processi sostenibili nell'ambito di un'economia circolare e di una migliore qualità della vita

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a class of atmospheric pollutants deriving from the volatilization of various solid or liquid substances. VOCs are responsible for several environmental phenomena (e.g., climate change) and some of them can also cause different adverse effects on human health (e.g., respiratory problems). For these reasons, the detection of VOCs is very important for environmental and human safety. Lewis acidic Zn(salen)-type complexes show a change in their optical properties in the presence of Lewis bases, both in solution and in the solid state. [1-3] In the latter case, vapochromic Zn(salen)-type complexes could be employed as chemosensors for the vapour-phase detection of VOCs having Lewis basicity. The aim of this study is to investigate the vapoluminescent properties of films of a Zn(salen)-type complex (ZnL) for the application of vapour-phase detection of VOCs. Optical properties of glass-based films were investigated by optical absorption and fluorescence measurements, before and after exposure to saturated vapours of different classes of VOCs. The results show different responses of these films upon exposure to nitrogenous-containing VOCs (N-VOCs) and the other classes of VOCs. To develop a sensor for in-situ monitoring of VOCs, paper substrates were used to fabricate a disposable, lightweight and low-cost chemosensor for the quantitative detection of VOCs.