Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets as Co‐reactants for Tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium(II) Electrochemiluminescence

Abstract

AbstractThe search for a biocompatible co‐reactant for tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)32+) electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has attracted broad attention towards extending its application in the biomedical field. This work investigates the co‐reactant effect of graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNSs) on Ru(bpy)32+ ECL. CNNSs enhance the anodic ECL of Ru(bpy)32+ through the ECL interaction between Ru(bpy)33+ and the reductive intermediate of CNNSs, which are generated by either the direct electroreduction of CNNSs or the chemical/electrochemical oxidation of the amine groups on the CNNSs surface by Ru(bpy)33+. The finding may provide a new avenue for the development of self‐enhanced ECL probes and offer a new insight into revealing the surface feature of CNNSs.