A novel type of trimethylanilinium-substituted pyrene derivative, 1,6-di(N,N,N-trimethylanilinium-4-y1) pyrene 2I(-)(An-Py2+), was synthesized. An-Py2+ exhibits strong emission with a high-emission quantum yield (approximately 90%) in aqueous solution. An-Py2+ was hybridized on a clay (Sumecton SA (SSA)) surface, and the photochemical behavior of An-Py2+ on the SSA surface was investigated using absorption and emission spectroscopic analyses, emission quantum yield (Phi(f)), and lifetime (tau) measurements. Effective adsorption of An-Py2+ on SSA was observed, and adsorption limit was estimated to be 100% relative to the cation-exchange capacity (CEC) of SSA. The previously reported pyridinium-substituted pyrene derivatives cause a gradual redshift of both absorption and emission on the SSA surface. In contrast, An-Py2+ effectively suppresses such a redshift on SSA due to anilinium substitution of the pyrene unit. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.