Abstract
A fluorescent sensor for the detection of trithiocyanuric acid (TCA)and Hg2+ was developed based on competitive interactions: non-covalent stacking between g-C3N4 and TCA vs coordinative interaction between TCA and Hg2+. Electrostatic simulations were used to evaluate the interactions and help describe the detection mechanism. Moreover, normalized 2D fluorescence contour plots have been used to understand the fluorescence phenomenon. When TCA was added into a g-C3N4 nanosheet solution free of Hg2+, TCA interacted with g-C3N4 nanosheets via hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions, resulting in fluorescence quenching of the g-C3N4 nanosheets. However, upon the addition of Hg2+, the fluorescence of the TCA-g-C3N4 nanosheet hybrid system was restored, due to coordination of Hg2+ with TCA through the S atoms, breaking the TCA-g-C3N4 stacking interaction. Our results provide a new approach for the design of multifunctional nanosensors suitable for the detection of environmental pollutants.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 107476 |
Journal | Dyes and Pigments |
Volume | 170 |
Early online date | 12 Apr 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Nov 2019 |
Funding
The present work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21607044 ), the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (No. B2017502069 ) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2018MS113 ). All data supporting this study are provided as supplementary information accompanying this paper. T.D.J. wishes to thank the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award. Appendix A
Keywords
- Dye sensor
- Fluorescent sensor
- Functional materials
- Graphitic carbon nitride
- Mercury sensing
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemical Engineering
- Process Chemistry and Technology