A novel tetraphenylethene-based fluorescent sensor, TPE-T, was developed for the detection of uranyl ions. The selective binding of TPE-T to uranyl ions resulted in a detectable signal owing to the quenching of its aggregation-induced emission. The developed sensor could be used to visually distinguish UO22+ from lanthanides, transition metals, and alkali metals under UV light; the presence of other metal ions did not interfere with the detection of uranyl ions. In addition, TPE-T was successfully used for the detection of uranyl ions in river water, illustrating its potential applications in environmental systems. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.