A fluorescent functionalized PET fabrics with dual-response to aqueous copper and pH

A fluorescent functional PET fabric for effective aqueous copper detection was developed. Eu(TTA)3·2H2O complex was prepared by the solvothermal method and subsequently PET fluorescent nonwoven fabrics were prepared by coordinating the complexes with PET nonwoven fabrics grafted with acrylic acid.The chemical structure and microscopic morphology of the fluorescent nonwovens were analyzed, and the effects of different experimental conditions (grafting rate, reaction time, and fluorescent complex concentration) on the fluorescence properties of the materials were investigated. Under optimal experimental conditions, the fluorescent nonwoven fabric exhibited a fluorescence intensity of 2.1 × 105 a.u. and a quantum yield of 6.35%. Additionally, the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent nonwoven fabric decreased with the increase of aqueous copper concentration, and the quenching effect could be described by the Stern-Volmer equation. Furthermore, adjusting the pH of the aqueous copper at a fixed concentration revealed a linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity and pH. These observations demonstrate a dual response of the fluorescent nonwoven fabric to both aqueous copper and pH, enabling its potential application in the detection of both analytes.