AIE-based UiO-66/TiO₂:fast response toluene detection and photocatalytic degradation

At present, it is difficult to realize an effective integration of both the detection and removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Herein, we propose a two-step strategy to design a new type of heterostructure photocatalyst UiO-66-TBPE/TiO₂ with the desired interfacial compatibility based on aggregation-induced luminescence, which possesses excellent sensing and photocatalytic degradation performance for toluene. This strategy effectively overcomes the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect and the transmission blocking of photogenerated electrons, and improves the fluorescence efficiency and electron–hole separation efficiency. In addition, the desired interface compatibility and hollow structure of UiO-66-TBPE/TiO₂ accelerate the adsorption and transfer of targets and shorten the path of “adsorption–sensing–catalysis.” Thence, UiO-66-TBPE/TiO₂ exhibits efficient and fast fluorescence sensing and the deeper sensing mechanism of toluene has explained by a combination of modern characterization techniques and computer simulation. More interestingly, a linear relationship is observed between the Δ fluorescence intensity in sensing performance and the degradation rate in degradation performance, providing a pathway to replace the complex method of degradation by simple fluorescence.