Structure engineering of silicon nanoparticles with dual signals for hydrogen peroxide detection

Fluorescent silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) were synthesized by a one-step, simple, and green method with 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and ascorbic acid (AA) as reaction agents. Subsequently, the SiNPs and AgNPs nanocomplex (SiNPs@AgNPs) was constructed as the probe for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection. The fluorescence of SiNPs was quenched due to the surface plasmonic-enhanced energy transfer between SiNPs and AgNPs. Meanwhile, the color tends to be yellow due to the existence of AgNPs. As the AgNPs were etched by H2O2, the fluorescence recovers and color fadings. Based on the well-designed structure, the off-on fluorescence sensing and on-off color sensing platforms for H2O2 were fabricated. The as-synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fluorescence and UV-vis absorption spectra were used to evaluate the optical performance. The fabricated sensor exhibited a linear range of 1.0-100.0 mu M, with a limit of detection of 0.36 mu M for the fluorescence sensing of H2O2. Additionally, a linear range of 1.0-50.0 mu M and a limit of detection of 0.45 mu M were displayed for the detection of H2O2 by colorimetric assay. The feasibility in complex medium of the fabricated fluorescent and colorimetric dual-signal sensor was evaluated by the detection of H2O2 in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and lake water samples. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Fluorescent silicon nanoparticles were synthesized and used to detect H2O2 by constructing a probe with SiNPs@AgNPs nanocomplex, allowing for sensitive detection of H2O2 through off-on fluorescence and color sensing platforms.