A water-soluble luminescent cesium-lead perovskite nanocrystal probe for sensitive detection of penicillamine

Abstract

In this paper, a water-soluble CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) probe with high photoluminescence was prepared and its analytical application for penicillamine detection was studied after an anion exchange process. The result indicated that the CsPbBr3 PNCs probe after iodide anion exchange (CsPbX3, X = Br/I) had a sensitive optical property that can be changed by penicillamine. The fluorescence intensity of the CsPbX3 PNCs increased and the maximum emission peak of the CsPbX3 blue-shifted in the presence of a lower concentration of penicillamine. By optimizing the degree of anion exchange and the experimental condition, penicillamine in the concentration from 5.0 to 35.0 nM can be linearly detected by the luminescence changes of the CsPbX3 PNCs probe. The color change of the PNCs probe was just right in the red and green bands that can be easily recognized by the naked eyes under 365 nm UV lamps. The mechanism of the phenomenon was further studied and the results indicated the interaction of the sulfhydryl group in the penicillamine with the iodide exchanged in the perovskite is the cause of spectral changes. The CsPbX3 PNCs probe prepared here also had a similar response to other sulfur compounds. Thus, the method proposed here has the potential to establish a universal analytical method for the visualization of sulfur-containing substances in water environments.