Fluorescence spectra and chemical species of fluorescein molecules adsorbed on a calcinated porous Vycor glass

Properties of fluorescence and the excitation spectra of fluorescein molecules adsorbed onto a calcinated (773 K) porous Vycor glass have been investigated as a function of the amount of adsorbed dye (the surface coverage, θ = 0.00051 and 0.0098). The fluorescence and fluorescence-excitation spectra of fluorescein adsorbed onto Vycor glass showed the spectrum only due to cation species at θ = 0.00051. On the other hand, the spectra observed at θ = 0.0098 suggested the presence of cation, anion, and dianion species on the surface of Vycor glass. These results indicated the existence of at least two different types of adsorption sites involving the Bronsted acid site on the surfaces of Vycor glass.