Highly sensitive, selective, and rapid response colorimetric chemosensor for naked eye detection of hydrogen sulfide gas under versatile conditions: Solution, thin-film, and wearable fabric

Abstract

In this study, we developed a new colorimetric chemosensor (C8-ISPBI) based on isatin Schiff base for efficient H2S gas detection. C8-ISPBI allowed highly sensitive (limit of detection: 1.2 μM), rapid (detection time<15 s), and highly selective H2S detection in solution by exhibiting color changes discernable with the naked eye. Based on systemic characterizations, including UV–vis absorption and NMR spectral analyses, as well as theoretical calculations, we revealed that the excellence of H2S sensing capability of C8-ISPBI originated from nucleophilic attack reactions. C8-ISPBI also exhibited sensitive H2S detection under practical conditions, such as film-coated paper strips and dyed wearable textiles. These advantageous sensing properties suggest the practical applicability of C8-ISPBI to the simple but very effective H2S gas leak detector under versatile conditions.