Abstract: In this study, a cataluminescence (CTL) sensing platform based on lanthanide bimetallic MOFs (Ln-Zr-UiO-66) was developed for the highly sensitive and selective detection of acetone. A series of Ln-Zr-UiO-66 materials (Ln=Ce/Sm/Eu/Dy) were synthesized via a one-step solvothermal method. The effects of key parameters, including lanthanide metal type, sensing temperature, and carrier gas flow rate, on the sensing performance were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that Ce0.6Zr0.4-UiO-66 exhibited the optimal CTL response toward acetone, showing a good linear relationship in the concentration range of 2–35 mmol·L-1 (R2 = 0.9952), with a detection limit as low as 8.47×10-5 mol·L-1. Moreover, the sensor exhibited excellent selectivity and stability (RSD = 2.74% over 11 cycles). The recovery rates from spiked real samples ranged from 93.2% to 108.2%, confirming the accuracy and practicality of the proposed method. Mechanistic investigation revealed that the synergistic effect between Ce and Zr bimetallic centers effectively modulated the band structure of the material and promoted the generation of superoxide radicals (·O2?), thereby inducing characteristic CTL signals for acetone. This work expands the application of rare-earth bimetallic MOFs in CTL sensing and offers a new technical pathway for on-site rapid monitoring of volatile organic pollutants.

Key words: Cataluminescence sensing, Lanthanide bimetallic MOF, Acetone detection, Synergistic mechanism