Modification of mesoporous silica SBA-15 with different organic molecules to gain chemical sensors: a review

The recognition of the biologically and environmentally important ions is of great interest in the field of chemical sensors in recent years. The fluorescent sensors as a powerful optical analytical technique for the detection of low level of various analytes such as anions and metal cations have been progressively developed due to the simplicity, cost effective, and selectivity for monitoring specific analytes in various systems. Organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials have important advantages as solid chemosensors and various innovative hybrid materials modified by fluorescence molecules were recently prepared. On the other hand, the homogeneous porosity and large surface area of mesoporous silica make it a promising inorganic support. SBA-15 as a two-dimensional hexagonal mesoporous silica material with stable structure, thick walls, tunable pore size, and high specific surface area is a valuable substrate for modification with different organic chelating groups. This review highlights the fluorescent chemosensors for ionic species based on modification of the mesoporous silica SBA-15 with different organic molecules, which have been recently developed from our laboratory.