A novel colorimetric
sensor based on the TiO2/poly(acrylamide-co-methylene bis acrylamide-co-2-(3-(4-nitro-phenyl)thioureido)ethyl
methacrylate) nanocomposite was synthesized via a surface modification
strategy; methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane was used to provide reactive
vinyl groups on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles for the
successful surface polymerization of Am (acrylamide), MBA (methylenbisacrylamide),
and NPhM (2-(3-(4-nitrophenyl)thioureido)ethyl methacrylate) components.
The successful preparation of nanocomposites was confirmed using Fourier
transform infrared, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, scanning
electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry
analysis, and X-ray diffraction methods, and the sensing ability of
the probe toward fluoride ions was investigated using naked-eye detection
and UV–vis measurement. The interaction of the prepared polymeric
nanocomposite with fluoride ions elicited a significant visible change
in color from pale yellow to orange and was further affirmed by a
clean interconversion of the two absorption bands at 330 and 485 nm.
The selective binding ability of the polymeric nanocomposite towards
fluoride over other anions, such as I–, Cl–, Br–, AcO–, H2PO4–, and H2SO4– was further explored; the prepared chemosensor could detect fluoride
ions in acetonitrile with a detection limit of 3 μM.