Rhodamine group modified SBA-15 fluorescent sensor for highly selective detection of Hg2+ and its application as an INHIBIT logic device

Rhodamine group modified SBA-15 nanocomposite (R3-SBA-15) is investigated as a highly selective Hg2+ sensor. The colorless sensor converts to red color in the presence of Hg2+ with the fluorescent detection limit for Hg2+ in MeCN–H2O solution (9 : 1 v/v) being 15 ppb levels and exhibits excellent Hg2+-specific luminescence enhancement over various competitive cations, including alkali and earth, the first-row transition metals and heavy metals. According to the definition of Boolean Logic, using Hg2+ and S2− as inputs, the fluorescence intensity signal changes of R3-SBA-15 as outputs, R3-SBA-15 can act as an INHIBIT logic gate. All the results suggest that R3-SBA-15 was possible for real-time quantitative detection of Hg2+ and the convenience for potential application as a logic gate operated at the nanoscale level.