Highly Efficient Wavelength-Resolved Electrochemiluminescence of Carbon Nitride Films for Ultrasensitive Multiplex MicroRNA Detection

• Published in: Analytical chemistry (Washington) Vol. 95; no. 16; pp. 6620 - 6628
• Main Authors: Fang, Yanfeng, Zhou, Zhixin, Hou, Yuhua, Wang, Chenchen, Cao, Xuwen, Liu, Songqin, Shen, Yanfei, Zhang, Yuanjian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 25.04.2023
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Bioassays; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Biosensors; Carbon; Carbon nitride; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Crystallization; Detection limits; Electrochemical Techniques - methods; Electrochemiluminescence; Electrons; Emission; Luminescent Measurements - methods; MicroRNAs; miRNA; Multiplexing; Photometry; Polymers; Potassium persulfate; Recombination; Wavelength
• ISSN: 0003-2700; 1520-6882
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05740

The development of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emitters of different colors with high ECL efficiency (ΦECL) is appealing yet challenging for ultrasensitive multiplexed bioassays. Herein, we report the synthesis of highly efficient polymeric carbon nitride (CN) films with fine-tuned ECL emission from blue to green (410, 450, 470, and 525 nm) using the precursor crystallization method. More importantly, naked eye-observable and significantly enhanced ECL emission was achieved, and the cathodic ΦECL values were ca. 112, 394, 353, and 251 times those of the aqueous Ru­(bpy)3Cl2/K2S2O8 reference. Mechanism studies showed that the density of surface-trapped electrons, the associated nonradiative decay pathways, and electron–hole recombination kinetics were crucial factors for the high ΦECL of CN. Based on high ΦECL and different colors of ECL emission, the wavelength-resolved multiplexing ECL biosensor was constructed to simultaneously detect miRNA-21 and miRNA-141 with superior low detection limits of 0.13 fM and 25.17 aM, respectively. This work provides a facile method to synthesize wavelength-resolved ECL emitters based on metal-free CN polymers with high ΦECL for multiplexed bioassays.