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

The search for a biocompatible co-reactant for tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)) 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)(3)(2+) ECL. CNNSs enhance the anodic ECL of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) through the ECL interaction between Ru(bpy)(3)(3+) 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)(3)(3+). 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.