A fluorescent and colorimetric probe of carbyne nanocrystals coated Au nanoparticles for selective and sensitive detection of ferrous ions

Abstract

Dual-functional nanosensors for fluorescent and colorimetric detection of metal ions are generally shown in organic materials or complex organic-inorganic hybrid structures, and there are much few reports about dual-functional sensors made of pure and simple inorganic nanomaterials. Here, we report a fluorescent and colorimetric probe of the hybrid gold-carbyne nanocrystals structure for selective and sensitive detection of ferrous ions. We fabricate fluorescent carbyne nanocrystals (inorganic nanocrystals) capped with gold nanoparticles (CNCs@AuNPs) via a convenient one-step laser ablation in liquids. We demonstrate that, with involvement of ferrous ions, CNCs@AuNPs show fluorescence-quenching and color-producing properties, which make them be a double-channel platform for chemical and biomedical detection. With remarkably high selectivity towards ferrous ions over other metals, the fluorescent and colorimetric methods of the fabricated probe exhibit a detection limit of 14 μM and 1.2 μM, respectively. We also establish that the electron transferring plays an important role in facilitating these novel effects. These findings expand the applications of inorganic nanomaterials in chemical and biomedical sensing.