Critical analysis of the data reported by Zhong et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135 (22), 8350–8356) is carried out. In particular, one of the main results of Zhong et al. concerning the formation of photoluminescent silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) in an aqueous solution of (3-aminopropyl)­trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and trisodium citrate dihydrate (Na3Cit) under microwave heating is impugned. These results are reconsidered here because of what appear to be significant inaccuracies and misinterpretations that have been spread through a wide number of other subsequent publications.

The paper demonstrates an easy and cheap approach to chemical functionalization of silicon nanocrystal surface leading to enhancement of photoluminescence and electrical transport properties.

A special electronic tongue system based on photoelectric measurements on Si− Si/SiN X sensitive structures is reported. The sensing approach is based on measuring of minority carrier lifetime in silicon-based substrates using microwave-detected photoconductance decay. This inexpensive and environmentally friendly combinatorial electronic sensing platform is able to create characteristic electronic fingerprints of liquids, detect, and recognize them. In particular, an application of the optoelectronic tongue for recognition of vegetable oils and their mixtures is described.