Highly efficient fluorescent and colorimetric sensing of organic amine vapors based on organometal halide perovskite nanostructures

Volatile organic amine vapors exist in various areas, which can cause a series of harmful effects on environment and human life. Thus, the detection of organic amine vapors with sensitivity and selectivity is greatly needed. This study reports a simple, low-cost, selective and sensitive fluorescence detection of trace organic amine vapors based on CH3NH3PbBr3 (MAPbBr3) nanoplates (NPs) and nanowires (NWs). Upon exposure to organic amines vapors, the fluorescence of MAPbBr3 was strikingly and quickly attenuated (<4 s), and the color of MAPbBr3 changed from yellow to white for some of the organic amines (depending on the R group of R-NHx). This change was rooted in the change of the crystal structure of MAPbBr3 after contacted with different amines. We believe that this result is not only a great advancement in the trace detection of organic amine vapors but is also equally important for fundamental research of organometal halide perovskites.