A Luminescent Nanocrystal Marker for the Selective and Ultrasensitive Detection of Explosives. Issue 8 (7th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sarkar, Shyam; Graña‐Suárez, Laura; Verboom, Willem; Mahalingam, Venkataramanan; Huskens, Jurriaan
• Is Part Of: ChemNanoMat. Volume 2:Issue 8(2016)
• Page Start: 805
• Page End: 809
• Publication Date: 2016-07-07
• Subjects: detection -- lanthanide -- nanocrystals -- photoluminescence -- picric acid -- quenching; Nanochemistry -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Nanochemistry; Nanostructured materials; Periodicals; 541.2
• DOI: 10.1002/cnma.201600184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2199-692X

Abstract

Abstract: We developed a luminescent probe for the selective and sensitive detection of an explosive, i.e., picric acid (PA), based on the luminescence quenching of Ce III and Tb III co‐doped Sr2 GdF7 nanocrystals. A new colloidal synthesis route at low temperature (80 °C) was developed to synthesize the luminescent nanocrystals host matrix Sr2 GdF7 . The nanocrystals showed strong green emission under UV excitation (290 nm) by efficient energy transfer from Ce III to Tb III ions. The functionalization of the nanocrystals withl ‐cysteine (Cys) rendered the luminescent probe water dispersible. The presence of the −NH2 groups of Cys allowed the selective interaction of the probe with PA among other nitro explosives. This caused a 92 % reduction of the photoluminescence intensity of Tb III in the Sr2 GdF7 nanocrystals, and led to the selective detection of PA with an unprecedented limit of detection (LOD) of approx. 4 nm . Abstract : An excellent luminescent probe for the rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of the explosive picric acid (PA) has been developed. Sr2 GdF7 nanocrystals were co‐doped with Ce III and Tb III and functionalized withl ‐cysteine in a new, low‐temperature route. The nanocrystals exhibit a strong green emission upon UV excitation, and the photoluminescence is quenched in the presence of PA, with an unprecedented limit of detection of 4 nm .