Abstract
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•Cresol red (CR) immobilized anatase nanoparticles (CR-ANPs) are synthesized by a low-temperature sol-gel route.•Thermally stable CR-ANPs have a large surface area of 210 m2/g, and small pore volume 0.12 cm3/g.•The response of the proposed fiber optic sensor is found to be 7.05 Counts/pH within pH 1-7 at 453 nm with R2 ∼ 0.95.•Proposed sensor has potential to use within extreme acidic and basic media without any deteriorations/leaking.
Owing to the fiber optic sensing applications, the cavity shaped cresol red (CR) immobilized anatase nanoparticles (CR-ANPs) are synthesized by sol-gel route. The homogeneous distribution of CR species within ANPs is confirmed by EDX mapping analysis. The chemical bonding between Ti and functional groups indicated the successful immobilization of CR species in the anatase matrix. Thermally stable CR-ANPs have average surface roughness ∼ 9 nm, a large surface area of 210 m2/g, small pore volume 0.12 cm3/g, and crystallite size 4 nm. The sensing response of the proposed device is found to be 7.05 counts/pH within pH 1-7 at 453 nm with the determination coefficient (R2) ∼ 0.95. Whereas, in basic media (pH 9-12), the sensor response is found to be 5.95 counts/pH. Experimental findings suggested that this proposed material is of pronounced interest because it can be used within extreme acidic and basic media without any deterioration/leaching.