Squarylium-based colorimetric hydrogen sulfide (H2S) chemosensors (SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3) were developed, and their detection properties were systematically characterized. SQ1 exhibited rapid and high resolution H2S sensing properties through significant color changes detectable by naked-eye with limit of detection as low as 7.2 ppb. SQ1 also showed excellent selectivity for H2S detection over other relevant anions and nucleophiles. Sensing mechanisms of SQ1 were investigated based on spectroscopic and 1H NMR analyses with quantum calculations. Furthermore, SQ1 showed an efficient response to H2S under versatile conditions in the solution, solid, and dyed fabric states, which suggests applicability of SQ1 to simple, low-cost, and practical H2S sensors.
This work was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education ( NRF-2018R1D1A1B07047645 ). This study was also supported by a grant from Priority Research Centers Program ( 2019R1A6A1A11051471 ) funded by the NRF . This study has been conducted with the support of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology ( kitech EO-19-0052 ).
