Enhanced Emission of Silver Nanoclusters Through Quantitative Phase Transfer

Silver nanoclusters composed of only a few metal atoms present appealing properties such as fluorescence. We have previously reported on aqueous solutions of this fluorophore using poly(methacrylic acid) as scaffold and their sensing properties. Here we report on the preparation of organic solutions of fluorescent silver nanoclusters by quantitative transfer from aqueous solution to an immiscible organic solvent. The fluorescent silver nanoclusters in the organic phase present enhanced emission properties and increased purity, which may expand the range of applications of this promising fluorophore.     

量子点电化学发光及其在生物分析中的应用

量子点作为一种新型的电化学发光体具有独特的理化性质,是电化学发光分析领域的研究热点之一.本文简要介绍了量子点电化学发光的机理,回顾了近几年来功能化量子点作为电化学发光体在免疫分析、核酸分析、适体分析、细胞表面聚糖分析等方面的应用,并对其今后的发展方向作了展望.     

基于量子点的电致化学发光免疫传感器研究进展

电致化学发光集成了发光和电化学分析的优点,在生物传感分析方面具有广泛的应用前景.量子点因其独特的性质成为电致化学发光的三大发光体系之一.本文综述了近年来基于量子点的电致化学发光免疫传感器的种类及其信号放大技术,并就相关研究发展方向和趋势作了初步展望.     

Electrochemiluminescence of Carbon-based Quantum Dots: Synthesis,Mechanism and Application in Heavy Metal Ions Detection

In recent years, carbon-based quantum dots as luminophores and co-reactants have aroused broad interest for their ability to function in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors due to their unique features, including excellent biocompatibility, low toxicity, and water solubility. In this mini review, the synthesis methods of carbon-based quantum dots are firstly introduced. Then, the mechanism of carbon-based quantum dots as luminophores and co-reactants and their latest progress application in the detection of heavy metal ions are explored. Finally, the current challenges and potential future development directions of carbon-based quantum dots in ECL sensing filed for heavy metal ions analysis are summarized.     

Efficient Near-Infrared Electrochemiluminescence from Au18 Nanoclusters

Bright, near-infrared electrochemiluminescence (NIR–ECL) of Au₁₈ nanoclusters is reported herein. Spooling ECL and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to track and link NIR emissions at 832 and 848 nm to three emissive species, Au₁₈⁰*, Au₁₈¹⁺* and Au₁₈²⁺*, with a considerably high ECL efficiency of 5.5 relative to that of the gold standard Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/TPrA (with 5–6 % reported ECL efficiency). The unprecedentedly high efficiency is due to the overlapped oxidation potentials of Au₁₈⁰ and tri-n-propylamine as co-reactant, the exposed facets of Au₁₈⁰ gold core, and electrocatalytic loops. These discoveries will add a new member to the efficient NIR-ECL gold nanoclusters family and bring more potential applications.     

磁性量子点电致化学发光法测定李氏禾提取液中的过氧化氢

利用巯基乙酸水热法合成出表面修饰—COOH的CdTe量子点,并将CdTe量子点(QDs)连接在Fe3O4纳米粒子表面,制备出CdTe/Fe3O4磁性量子点。通过磁力将磁性量子点修饰于石墨电极表面。在pH7.5的PBS缓冲溶液中,H2O2可使CdTe量子点产生电致化学发光,H2O2浓度在4～100μmol/L范围内与CdTe量子点的电致化学发光强度呈良好的线性关系,检出限为0.24μmol/L。据此建立了测定样品中过氧化氢含量的电致化学发光分析法,并成功地应用于李氏禾草汁原液中过氧化氢含量的测定。该研究借助纳米Fe3O4的磁力特征,使敏感膜易于形成和更新分离,简化了实验操作,同时起到增强发光强度的作用。     

基于胶束反向扫集的毛细管电泳量子点电化学发光研究

研究了胺分子对CdSe量子点电化学发光的增强作用，构建了CdSe量子点电化学发光传感器.结合胶束扫集预富集技术，发展了一种基于胶束反向扫集的毛细管电泳（CE）量子点（QD）电化学发光（ECL）新方法用于莱克多巴胺和克伦特罗的同时分离检测.毛细管内首先充满含有十二烷基硫酸钠（SDS）胶束的缓冲溶液，电动进样时，样品分子进入毛细管，在入口端被迎面而来的SDS胶束捕获并富集，经CE分离后顺次进入检测端，根据不同浓度的胺分子对CdSe量子点发光强度的增强作用不同，实现对不同胺分子的同时分离检测.胶束反向扫集富集技术，使胶束-样品结合物在毛细管中处于准静止状态，进样时间可达50 min，量子点电化学发光信号增强6000倍.该方法成功用于猪肉样品中莱克多巴胺和克伦特罗的同时分离检测，其线性范围分别为（0.8~2960）和（3.0~5520）μg/L，检出限分别为96.8和192.5 ng/L.     

量子点传感器测定水中微量银离子

选择铋试剂Ⅱ作为硫化镉(cds)量子点的修饰剂,合成了表面修饰的量子点,利用其有效官能团与银离子作用,导致修饰的量子点的荧光增强作用,建立了测定银离子的方法,开发了新型的银离子的传感器。结果表明,对水中银离子测定的线性范围为0.01~5.0μmol.L-1,相关系数为0.999 3,检测限达到1.6 nmol.L-1,对实际水样的分析获得了较满意的结果。     

碳点对鲁米诺电化学发光体系抑制作用的研究及其在DNA分析中的应用

发现碳点对鲁米诺电化学发光体系有明显的抑制作用, 并且由于碳点对单双链DNA的吸附性差异, 与单双链结合的碳点对鲁米诺电化学发光体系的抑制程度不同, 基于此实现了对DNA的快速、简便、灵敏的检测. 考察了碳点粒径、浓度对鲁米诺电化学发光体系的抑制行为的影响. 优化了溶液pH值, 鲁米诺浓度等电化学发光条件. 在优化的最佳实验条件下, 该方法检测DNA的线性范围为1.0×10^-10～7.5×10^-9 mol/L, 检出限为5.2×10^-11 mol/L.     

Fluorescent Silver Nanoclusters in Condensed DNA

We study the formation and fluorescent properties of silver nanoclusters encapsulated in condensed DNA nanoparticles. Fluorescent globular DNA nanoparticles are formed using a dsDNA–cluster complex and polyallylamine as condensing agents. The fluorescence emission spectrum of single DNA nanoparticles is obtained using tip‐enhanced fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescent clusters in condensed DNA nanoparticles appear to be more protected against destructive damage in solution compared to clusters synthesized on a linear polymer chain. The fluorescent clusters on both dsDNA and ssDNA exhibit the same emission bands (at 590 and 680 nm) and the same formation efficiency, which suggests the same binding sites. By using density functional theory, we show that the clusters may bind to the Watson–Crick guanine–cytosine base pairs and to single DNA bases with about the same affinity.     

Reduced Carbon Dots versus Oxidized Carbon Dots: Photo‐ and Electrochemiluminescence Investigations for Selected Applications

The study of the composition, morphology, and surface structure of carbon dots (Cdots) is critical to understanding their effect on the photo‐ and electrochemiluminescence (PL and ECL) of Cdots in selected applications. Herein, two kinds of Cdots were prepared with 3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐L ‐alanine (L ‐DOPA) as precursor. The Cdots prepared by using a carbonization‐extraction strategy have a low oxidation level and are denoted as reduced Cdots (r‐Cdots). The Cdots obtained with a carbonization‐oxidation process are highly oxidized and are denoted as oxidized Cdots (o‐Cdots). The o‐Cdots have a carbon core and oxygen‐containing loose shell, but the r‐Cdots consist mainly of the carbon core. Whereas r‐Cdots have a strong blue PL but no apparent ECL response, o‐Cdots exhibit a relatively weak PL and strong ECL emission. These properties allow for selected applications of the Cdots. The r‐Cdots were used in cell imaging with their high PL emission. The o‐Cdots, with their high ECL efficiencies, were selected to sense Cu²⁺ with Cu²⁺‐inducing ECL quenching in the o‐Cdots/K₂S₂O₈ system. This work provides the possibility to control the composition of Cdots for selected applications and shows a good way to characterize surface traps of Cdots because ECL is characterized by the surface‐state and PL is mainly related to the core‐state in Cdots.     

Dual Intramolecular Electron Transfer for In Situ Coreactant‐Embedded Electrochemiluminescence Microimaging of Membrane Protein

The demand for transporting coreactant to emitter and short lifetime of the radicals in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission inhibit greatly its application in cytosensing and microscopic imaging. Herein we designed a dual intramolecular electron transfer strategy and tertiary amine conjugated polymer dots (TEA‐Pdots) to develop a coreactant‐embedded ECL mechanism and microimaging system. The TEA‐Pdots could produce ECL emission at +1.2 V without need of coreactant in test solution. The superstructure and intramolecular electron transfer led to unprecedented ECL strength, which was 132 and 45 times stronger than those from the mixture of Pdots with TEA at equivalent and 62.5 times higher amounts, respectively. The ECL efficiency was even higher than that of typical [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ system. Therefore, this strategy and coreactant‐embedded ECL system could be used for in situ ECL microimaging of membrane protein on single living cells without additional permeable treatment for transporting coreactant. The feasibility and validity were demonstrated by evaluating the specific protein expression on cell surface. This work opens new avenues for ECL applications in single cell analysis and dynamic study of biological events.     

基于G-四链体模板的银纳米簇共振能量转移比率检测miRNA

以DNA为模板合成的荧光银纳米簇（DNA-Ag NC）是一类性能优秀的发光探针,已被广泛应用于传感与成像领域.目前大多数定量方法都是基于目标物结合带来的直接的银纳米簇发光强度的变化,因此,分析方法的重现性将不可避免地受实验场地或测定条件变化的影响.本工作中,采用以G-四链体为模板的银纳米簇（GQ-Ag NC）与菁染料Cyanine5（Cy5）为能量供-受体对,发展了基于荧光共振能量转移（FRET）机理的miRNA比率测定方法.其中,Cy5标签具有通用性,简化了实际应用中的实验设计,降低了试剂成本.针对miRNA let-7a的方法,检测动态范围为12~300 nmol/L,检测限为6.9 nmol/L,且可以将let-7a与let-7家族中的其他miRNA区分.HepG2细胞的总RNA提取物加标回收结果表明该方法具有应用于临床样本测试的潜力.本研究工作拓展了DNA-Ag NC的应用,并有助于加深在FRET设计中以DNA-Ag NC为供体进行分析应用的进一步理解.     

Thiolate‐Mediated Photoinduced Synthesis of Ultrafine Ag2S Quantum Dots from Silver Nanoparticles

Photoinduced syntheses offer significant advantages over conventional thermal strategies, including improved control over reaction kinetics and low synthesis temperatures, affording nanoparticles with nontrivial and thermodynamically unstable structures. However, the photoinduced syntheses of non‐metallic nanocrystalline products (such as metal sulfides) have not yet been reported. Herein, we demonstrate the first photoinduced synthesis of ultrafine (sub‐2 nm) Ag₂S quantum dots (QDs) from Ag nanoparticles at 10 °C. By thorough investigation of the mechanism for the transformation, a fundamental link was established between the intrinsic structures of the molecular intermediates and the final Ag₂S products. Our results confirm the viability of low‐temperature photochemical approaches in metal sulfide synthesis, and demonstrate a new rule which could be followed in it.     

Ratiometric Detection of microRNA Using Hybridization Chain Reaction and Fluorogenic Silver Nanoclusters

miRNA (miR)-155 is a potential biomarker for breast cancers. We aimed at developing a nanosensor for miR-155 detection by integrating hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). HCR serves as an enzyme-free and isothermal amplification method, whereas AgNCs provide a built-in fluorogenic detection probe that could simplify the downstream analysis. The two components were integrated by adding a nucleation sequence of AgNCs to the hairpin of HCR. The working principle was based on the influence of microenvironment towards the hosted AgNCs, whereby unfolding of hairpin upon HCR has manipulated the distance between the hosted AgNCs and cytosine-rich toehold region of hairpin. As such, the dominant emission of AgNCs changed from red to yellow in the absence and presence of miR-155, enabling a ratiometric measurement of miR with high sensitivity. The limit of detection (LOD) of our HCR-AgNCs nanosensor is 1.13 fM in buffered solution. We have also tested the assay in diluted serum samples, with comparable LOD of 1.58 fM obtained. This shows the great promise of our HCR-AgNCs nanosensor for clinical application.