Patent ID: 8486708

Claim:
A nanofiber fluorescent sensor for detecting amines, the nanofiber fluorescent sensor comprising: a porous film of entangled nanofibers, the nanofibers having a perylene stacked nanofiber structure consisting essentially of a single 3,4,9,10-tetracarboxyl perylene compound having the formula I: wherein (i) A′ is O, thereby forming an anhydride as a first amine-binding moiety, and R1 and R3 through R10 are independently selected from the group consisting of amine-binding moieties, solubility enhancing groups, and hydrogen; or wherein (ii) A′ is N—R2, and R1 through R10 are independently selected from the group consisting of amine-binding moieties, solubility enhancing groups, and hydrogen such that R1 through R10 include at least a second amine-binding moiety and a solubility enhancing group; and a photodetector; wherein the photodetector is configured to detect a change in fluorescence of the nanofiber structure upon exposure of the nanofiber structure to an amine.