Selective fluoride ion sensing in aqueous medium using ultrathin film of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes

The presence of fluoride ion (F ^- ) in potable water above its permissible limit (1–4 ppm) poses serious health hazards. Hence, detection of fluoride in potable water is essential. The π-electron rich single-walled carbon nanotubes can interact with F^- to form semi-covalent C-F bond which can act as a basis for F ^- sensing in aqueous medium. Here, a single layer of octadecylamine functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (ODA-SWCNTs) was transferred onto solid substrates by the Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) method and employed for sensing of F- in aqueous medium by recording piezo and electrochemical responses, simultaneously using an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. The lowest detectable concentration and range of detectable concentration of fluoride ion were found to be 0.5 ppm and 0.5–145 ppm, respectively. The analysis of the LS film of ODA-SWCNTs before and after interaction with fluoride ion by Raman spectroscopy and grazing angle x-ray diffraction measurement reveals perturbation of π-electrons of the SWCNTs due to semi-covalent binding of the fluoride with the carbon atom of the nanotubes. The sensor showed a good selectivity towards the F^- in the presence of some heavy metal ions. Testing of the sensor towards F^- in tap water obtained from some local region showed a good accuracy.