Sensitive glasslike sol–gel materials suitable for environmental light sensors

New sol–gel based sensitive materials able to detect moderate doses of UV, Vis and near IR radiations have been designed, prepared and characterised. These glasslike detectors are respectively composed by four different sols of inorganic and hybrid organic–inorganic silica matrixes. The sols were prepared from alkoxide (TEOS) and alkylalkoxide (GLYMO) precursors with molar ratios 1:0, 1:1, 1:4 and 0:1, respectively. All the sols were doped with an organic photochromic dye (spiropyran). The detectors characterisation was carried out by means of exposures to natural light under different light intensities (100–3000 lx). The highest sensitivity against the light radiation was found for sols with molar ratio TEOS:GLYMO of 1:1. The time response of detectors is found at about 10 min and their life time is roughly 4 months at least. Moreover, the detectors show good optical reversibility. These sensitive glasslike materials have been designed to be applied for preservation of historical goods. They can detect and evaluate dangerous light doses for the proper conservation conditions of historical materials, which are sensitive or moderately sensitive against light radiation (<600 lx).