Oxygen sensors based on luminescence quenching: Interactions of tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) chloride and pyrene with polymer supports

Oxygen quenching of [Ru(Ph(2)phen)(3)]Cl-2 (Ph(2)phen = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) and pyrene has been studied in a series of polymer networks of Gp-163 (a methacryloxy functional polydimethylsiloxane) co-polymerized with one of several co-monomers: styrene, trimethylsilyl-methylmethacrylate (T3642), vinyl-tris(2-methoxy-ethoxy)silane, or vinyl-tris(trimethylsiloxy)silane. Sensor performance was studied as a function of the polymer composition in order to delineate the important features for satisfactory O-2 sensor supports. Quenching behavior was examined as a function of polymer structure, including amount and type of co-monomer. This work shows that the earlier two-domain model is too simplistic The relative affinities of the different domains for the [Ru(Ph(2)phen)(3)]Cl-2 and pyrene and the efficacy of the domains for O-2 quenching are important; however, subtle changes in microstructure within domains can also strongly affect behavior. In particular, T3642 exhibits excellent structural and goad quenching properties with[Ru(Ph(2)phen)(3)]Cl-2.