Method for determining a characteristics difference between fluids

1. A method for determining a characteristic difference between first and second fluids, comprising:

providing a surface having a reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group covalently attached thereon;

providing a voltage sensitive chromophore precursor including a p-substituted dialkylamino aryl group that is conjugatively linked to a terminal'-containing heterocyclic aromatic group;

reacting the voltage sensitive chromophore precursor with the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group that is covalently attached to the surface to form a monolayer of a voltage sensitive chromophore that is covalently bound to the surface;

bringing the first fluid into contact with the monolayer of the covalently bound voltage sensitive chromophore;

irradiating the monolayer of the covalently bound voltage sensitive chromophore with actinic radiation while it is in contact with the first fluid and measuring a first fluorescence emission spectrum;

bringing the second fluid into contact with the monolayer of the covalently bound voltage sensitive chromophore in the absence of the first fluid;

irradiating the monolayer of the covalently bound voltage sensitive chromophore with actinic radiation while it is in contact with the second fluid and measuring a second fluorescence emission spectrum; and

performing a mathematical analysis to determine a parameter characterizing a difference between the first and second fluorescence emission spectra, wherein the parameter characterizes a difference between the first and second fluids.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group includes a benzyl halide group.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the N-containing heterocyclic aromatic group is a pyridinyl group.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage sensitive chromophore is a reaction product where the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group is bonded to the terminal N-containing heterocyclic aromatic group of the voltage sensitive chromophore precursor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter represents a degree of similarity between the first and second fluorescence emission spectra.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter indicates a likelihood that the first and second liquids are the same.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the mathematical analysis includes:

determining a first spectral peak for the first fluorescence emission spectrum;

determining a second spectral. peak for the second fluorescence emission spectrum; and

wherein the characteristic difference between the first and second fluids is determined responsive to a wavelength difference or a wave number difference between the first and second spectral peaks.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the mathematical analysis includes:

specifying first and second wavelengths;

determining a first intensity ratio between a value of the first fluorescence emission spectrum at the first wavelength and a value of the first fluorescence emission spectrum at the second wavelength;

determining a second intensity ratio between a value of the second fluorescence emission spectrum at the first wavelength and a value of the second fluorescence emission spectrum at the second wavelength; and

wherein the characteristic difference between the first and second fluids is determined responsive to the first and second intensity ratios.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface having the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group covalently attached thereon is formed by:

providing a solution including the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group;

providing a surface capable of reacting with the reactive aromatic linking group; and

bringing the solution into contact with the surface, thereby reacting the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group with the surface to attach the reactive carbocyclic aromatic linking group to the surface with a covalent linkage.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second fluids are water, methanol, ethanol or chloroform.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is a silica surface or a polymer surface.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is non-biological.