Here, we report the size-dependent catalysis of Pt dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) having well-defined sizes over the range of 1-3 nm with subnanometer accuracy for the highly enhanced chemiluminescence of the luminol/H2O2 system. This size-dependent catalysis is ascribed to the differences in the chemical states of the Pt DENs as well as in their surface areas depending on their sizes. Facile and versatile applications of the Pt DENs in diverse oxidase-based assays are demonstrated as efficient catalysts for sensitive chemiluminescence-based analyses.

Here, we report highly enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of luminol in the presence of H2O2 on indium tin oxides (ITOs) modified with both of dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles (Pt DENs) and chemically converted graphenes (CCGs). The ITO electrodes were electrochemically modified with size-monodisperse Pt DENs via electrooxidative grafting of the terminal amines of the dendrimers encapsulating Pt nanoparticles. The Pt DEN-modified ITOs were then decorated with CCG sheets via electrostatic attachments of graphene oxides (GOs) and subsequent chemical reduction of the GOs to the CCGs. The resulting CCG-Pt DEN/ITO electrodes exhibited highly catalyzed electrochemical oxidation of luminol/H2O2, leading to significantly enhanced ECL of the luminol/H2O2 system, i.e., ∼15-fold enhancement, compared to ECL emission from bare ITOs even at lower applied potentials, which allowed sensitive ECL-based analysis of H2O2 using the CCG-Pt DEN/ITOs. Graphical abstract We report the highly enhanced electrochemiluminescence of the luminol/H2O2 system on the indium tin oxide electrodes modified with both of Pt nanoparticles and chemically converted graphenes using amine-terminated dendrimers.

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