Igor A. Levitsky

Optimization of TNT sensory polymers

Our group has been involved in the design and synthesis of ultra-sensitive fluorescence sensory materials for the detection of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4 dinitrotoluene (DNT). These schemes make use of a novel energy migration mechanisms to amplify the fluorescence response and have led to systems capable of rapid detection of these analytes at sub part-per-billion levels. In an effort to optimize the amplification and specificity, we have examined the nature of energy migration in our polymers systems because it is inherent in achieving amplification. polarization measurements and energy transfer studies between polymers were conducted in order to evaluate and maximize energy migration and hence TNT sensory response. The correlation of photo physical properties with molecular structure guided the synthesis of novel polymers with more discriminant optical responses. These synthetic efforts have yielded a library of sensory polymers with varying sensitivities to different analytes.