Intrinsic Dual-State Emission Zinc-Based MOF Rodlike Nanostructures with Applications in Smartphone Readout Visual-Based Detection for Tetracycline: MOF-Based Color Tonality

Dual-state emitters (DSEs) are entities that exhibit fluorescence in both the solution and solid state, which open up a wide range of possibilities for their utilization in various fields. The development of detection platforms using intrinsic luminescent metal–organic frameworks (LMOFs) is highly desirable for a variety of applications. DSE MOFs as a subclass of intrinsic LMOFs are highly attractive due to no need for encapsulation/functionalization by fluorophores and/or using luminescent linkers. Herein, a highly stable intrinsic dual-state blue emission (λ em = 425 nm) zinc-based MOF with rodlike nanostructures (denoted as UoZ-2) was synthesized and characterized. To the best of our knowledge, intrinsic DSE of Zn-MOFs with blue emission in the dispersed form in solution and solid-state fluorescence have not been reported yet. When tetracycline (TC) was added, a continuous color evolution from blue to greenish-yellow with dramatic enhancement was observed due to aggregation induced emission (AIE). Thus, a sensitive ratiometry-based visual detection platform, in solution and on paper independently, was designed for detection of TC exploiting the DSE and AIE properties of UoZ-2 alone and UoZ-2:TC. The detection limit was estimated to be 4.5 nM, which is considered to be one of the most sensitive ratiometric fluorescent probes for TC sensing. The ratiometry paper-based UoZ-2 sensor displays a reliable TC quantitative analysis by recognizing RGB values in the on-site TC detection with satisfactory recoveries.