A highly-specific photoelectrochemical platform based on carbon nanodots and polymers functionalized organic-inorganic perovskite for cholesterol sensing

Herein, we reported the introduction of carbon nanodots (CNDs) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as additives into perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 through in situ synthesis to prepare PVDF-CH3NH3PbI3@CNDs composite, which demonstrated improved water tolerance and mechanical stability. The application of PVDF-CH3NH3PbI3@CNDs for photoelectrochemical sensing was then explored. A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) that could specifically recognize cholesterol (CHO) was anchored to PVDF-CH3NH3PbI3@CNDs via a simple thermal polymerization process, followed by elution with hexane. A label-free and sensitive photoelectrochemical method for CHO detection was achieved by using the MIPs@PVDF-CH3NH3PbI3@CNDs platform. The detection limit for CHO was 2.1 x 10(-14) mol/L, lower than most of the existing CHO detection methods. In our perception, this platform can be extended to numerous other analytes. This research result may provide a new understanding to improve the performance and broaden the application range of organic-inorganic perovskites.

Automated summary

The study introduced carbon nanodots and polyvinylidene fluoride as additives into perovskite to prepare a composite with improved water tolerance and mechanical stability, which was applied in photoelectrochemical sensing for cholesterol detection with a detection limit lower than most methods. This platform may have potential applications for other analytes and could contribute to enhancing the performance of organic-inorganic perovskites.