A dual-emitting 4d–4f nanocrystalline metal–organic framework as a self-calibrating luminescent sensor for indoor formaldehyde pollution

A dual-emissive 4d–4f Ag(I)–Eu(III) functionalized MOF nanocomposite was fabricated and utilized as a self-calibrating luminescent nanoprobe for detecting indoor formaldehyde (FA). The implantation of Ag+ ions can tune the dual-emissive characters of the material. FA can interact with the Ag+ ions and induce opposite luminescence behaviors of the two emitters in the singular molecular material, thus realizing its recognition. This nanoprobe for FA exhibits many merits, such as excellent selectivity, high sensitivity with a detection limit of 51 ppb, fast response, room-temperature testing ability, easy preparation and low cost. This is the first example of a MOF-implicated self-calibrated sensor for indoor FA detection.