Temperature compensation of pressure-sensitive luminescent polymer sensors

Abstract In this study, dual luminescent polymer sensors based on a pressure-sensitive palladium(II) tetraphenylporphyrin, PdTPP, and a temperature-sensitive europium(III) complex, EuDT, were newly fabricated by spray-coating or electrospinning of the solutions containing polystyrene as a matrix for the simultaneous detection of both pressure and temperature. The pressure and temperature responses were recorded as a function of the luminescence changes, and their sensitivities were carefully evaluated. The electrospun nanofibrous films exhibited a higher pressure-sensitivity than the corresponding spray-coated films, which was most likely attributed to their highly porous structures. In addition, accurate temperatures at the sample surface were determined from the luminescence intensities of the temperature-sensitive dye, which were used for the temperature correction of the surface pressure measurements. It was demonstrated that the accuracy of the pressure measurements based on the luminescence intensities of the pressure-sensitive dye was significantly improved after the temperature corrections. This is the first report of dual luminescent nanofibrous polymer sensors.