Porphyrin-doped sol-gel glass as a probe for oxygen sensing

Inorganic silica glass loaded with platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP), an oxygen-quenchable luminescent dye, was prepared by acidic hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and the optical properties such as absorption and luminescence spectra were investigated. Using these materials, an optical oxygen sensor was fabricated, based on the phosphorescence quenching of PtOEP, which responded in the range of 0.5-100% O-2. For this sensor operational stability and photostability were enhanced compared to a polymer matrix-based sensor.