On the combination of luminescent rare earth MOF and rhodamine dopant with two sensing channels for picric acid.

The present paper reported a hybrid structure for the optical recognition of PA (picric acid). This dye-MOF structure, named as R6h@EuBTC, consisted of a supporting matrix based on rare earth MOF and a sensing probe based on rhodamine dye, which was confirmed using XRD, IR, thermal and photophysical analysis. R6h@EuBTC's rhodamine absorption in visible region was enhanced by increasing PA concentrations, showing obvious color change and consequently colorimetric sensing. R6h@EuBTC's rhodamine emission component was increased by increasing PA concentrations, while its Eu emission component was slightly quenched by increasing PA concentrations, which offered self-calibrated sensing signals for ratiometric fluorescent sensing. Linear response and good selectivity were observed for both sensing channels with LOD of 3.9 μM. R6h@EuBTC's sensing mechanism towards PA was the combination of two procedures, which were the emission turn on effect of rhodamine component triggered by PA-released protons and the emission turn off effect of Eu component caused by its electron transfer procedure to PA, respectively. R6h@EuBTC's novelty was its two sensing channels and the practicability of naked eye detection.