Scientists create a crystal that detects pollutants in water and air by changing color
A crystal capable of both inter- and intramolecular charge transfer successfully detects naphthalene, a pollutant found in air and oceans.
Imagine a crystal that changes color just by coming into contact with a pollutant, almost instantly revealing its presence. Scientists at Japan’s Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) have developed a crystal that can achieve this.
By designing a novel molecule called a pyrazinacene derivative, the team developed a crystal that shifts its color from greenish-blue to red-violet when exposed to naphthalene, a well-known air and water pollutant.