Molybdenum Disulfide Quantum Dots as a Photoluminescence Sensing Platform for 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol Detection

Abstract

Transition metal chalcogenides, especially molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), have recently attracted wide attention from researchers as graphene-analogous materials. However, until now, little literature has reported the synthesis of photoluminescent MoS2 materials and their applications in analytical chemistry. We herein presented a facile bottom-up hydrothermal route for the synthesis of photoluminescent MoS2 quantum dots (QDs) by using sodium molybdate and cysteine as precursors. The prepared MoS2 QDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The MoS2 QDs were then used as photoluminescent probes to construct a photoluminescence (PL) quenching sensor for detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP). The TNP sensor presented a wide linear range from 0.099 to 36.5 μM with a high detection limit of 95 nM. Furthermore, the sensor displayed a high sensitivity toward TNP over other structurally similar compounds like 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, p-chlorophenol, phenol, and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol. To understand the origin of the high sensitivity, we assessed the emission wavelength-dependent PL quenching behavior of MoS2 QDs by the above five compounds using Stem-Volmer equation in detail. The results showed that the novel approach we put forward can satisfactorily explain the interaction mechanisms between MoS2 QDs and the five compounds, and the high sensitivity for TNP very likely originated from a combination of the PL resonance energy transfer, electronic energy transfer, and electrostatic interactions between MoS2 QDs and TNP. Finally, the sensor was successfully applied for detection of TNP in water samples and test papers.

The use of tungsten disulfide dots as highly selective, fluorescent probes for analysis of nitrofurazone

“…These materials are generally inorganic substances similar to graphite; particularly, they are substances, which are layered materials of ultrathin nanosheets of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with strong in-plane bonding and weak out-of-plane interactions. Such structures facilitate exfoliation into two-dimensional layers of single unit cell thickness, which has been widely used in a many applications including solid lubricants, catalysts, batteries, various nanoelectronic and energy storage devices [4][5][6][7]. To date, a number of methods have been developed to prepare TMDC nano-sheets, -tubes and -particles.…”

Graphene and graphene-like two-denominational materials based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays for biological applications

“…The QY of MoS 2 quantum dots is reported from 2.6% to 4.84% (Wu et al, 2015;Wang and Ni, 2014) and the QY of WS 2 quantum dots is reported from 1.8% to 4% Yan et al, 2016). The MoS 2 and WS 2 quantum dots also shows excitation-dependent emission.…”

“…A linear detection range from 0.5 to 60 ng mL -1 was achieved with a limit of detection of 0.2 ng mL -1 for PSA detection. Jia et al used aptamer loaded MoS 2 nanoplates as nanoprobes for intracellular ATP detection and photodynamic therapy (PDT) via ATP-mediated controllable release of singlet oxygen(Jia et al, 2015).MoS 2 quantum dots are emerging 2D nanomaterial photoluminescent probes which have been synthesized with strong photoluminescence, high quantum yield and good biocompatibility(Dai et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2014;Wu et al, 2015).Wang et al. used MoS 2 QDs as photoluminescent probes to construct a photoluminescence (PL) quenching sensor for detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP).…”

“…(b) MoS 2 quantum dots as a photoluminescence sensing platform for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol detection. Reprinted with permission fromWang et al, 2014. …”

Monoclinic Copper(I) Selenide Nanocrystals and Copper(I) Selenide/Palladium Heterostructures: Synthesis, Characterization, and Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Performance

“…Micro-and nanoscaled transition-metal chalcogenides (TMCs) have attracted much attention because of their unique chemical and physical properties, which allow for widespread applications in energy devices, [1][2][3] sensors, [4,5] thermoelectric devices, [6,7] and memory devices. [8,9] Among the various TMCs, copper selenides (Cu x Se, x = 1-2) are very important semiconductors and exist in a wide range of compositions (CuSe, Cu 2 Se, CuSe 2 , Cu 3 Se 2 , Cu 2-x Se etc.)…”