TiO2 nanoparticles modified graphitic carbon nitride with potential-resolved multicolor electrochemiluminescence and application for sensitive sensing of rutin.

Abstract

Recently, nanocomposites with potential-resolved multicolor electrochemiluminescence (ECL) property have attracted new research interests. Herein, TiO2 nanoparticles modified graphitic carbon nitride (TiO2-NPs/g-C3N4) with inherent potential-resolved multicolor ECL emission was prepared via a simple synthesis method. The morphology and chemical composition of the synthesized TiO2-NPs/g-C3N4 were characterized. The obtained TiO2-NPs/g-C3N4 exhibited dual-peak multicolor ECL emission under cyclic voltammetry scanning by using K2S2O8 as co-reagent. The first ECL peak (ECL-1) is composed of turquoise blue ECL emission (471nm) located at -1.3V and olive green ECL emission (490nm) ranging from -1.4 to -2.0V. The second ECL peak (ECL-2) is composed of navy blue ECL emission (458nm) located at -3.0V. The ECL mechanism for the potential-resolved multicolor ECL emissionwas proposed. Furthermore, the first ECL imaging sensing method was fabricated for the sensitive quantitative detection of rutin based on the effective quenching effect of rutin on the ECL of TiO2-NPs/g-C3N4. The linear response range is 0.005-400µM with detection limit as low as 2nM. This work presents a simple way to prepare g-C3N4-based nanocomposites with potential-resolved multicolor ECL, which broadens the potential applications of g-C3N4-based nanocomposites for ECL imaging sensing and light-emitting devices.