An AIE enhanced fluorescence probe based on the “rotor” structure to detect level 3 structure of latent fingerprints

A water-soluble fingerprint probe, GK-Ac, was designed and synthesized by using an unsymmetric structure of fluorescent groups. In the present contribution, incorporating a “rotor” structure to impede the rotation of rotational site groups, which can effectively enhance aggregation-induced emission and provide additional sites for modification. The results indicate that the fingerprint probe GK-Ac had faint fluorescence characteristics in aqueous solution, and the level 2 structure of latent fingerprints can be clearly observed at 450 nm fluorescence when soaked in lipid or sprayed with the GK-Ac aqueous solution. Moreover, the probe was also successfully applied to detect the level 3 structure of latent fingerprints with flat surfaces. The results can provide reliable theoretical guidance for the development of fingerprint fluorescence developer.