Highly stable and luminescent layered hybrid materials for sensitive detection of TNT explosives.

Self-assembly is an effective way to fabricate optical molecular materials. However, this strategy usually changes the nanoenvironment surrounding fluorescence molecules, yielding low luminescence efficiency. Herein, we report the intercalation of a ruthenium polypyridine (Ru) complex into the interlayer galleries of layered double hydroxides (LDHs), forming a Ru/LDH hybrid. The Ru complex exists as an ordered monolayer state, and the hybrid exhibits high thermal and photo stability. Its luminescence efficiency and lifetime are increased by ∼1.7 and ∼1 times, respectively, compared to those of free molecules. We constructed a Ru/LDH sensing platform based on a fluorescence quenching effect for highly sensitive detection of TNT with a detection limit of 4.4 μM.