Thioglycolic acid-capped CuInS2/ZnS quantum dots as fluorescent probe for cobalt ion detection

• Published in: Journal of luminescence Vol. 148; pp. 359 - 363
• Main Authors: Zi, Lili, Huang, Yu, Yan, Zhengyu, Liao, Shenghua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cobalt; Cobalt ion; Cold working, work hardening; annealing, quenching, tempering, recovery, and recrystallization; textures; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; CuInS2/ZnS/TGA QDs; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorescence; Fluorescent probe; Luminescence; Materials science; Mathematical analysis; Mechanism; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Physics; Quantum dots; Quenching; Sulfur; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Zinc sulfides; Cobalt ion; CuInS2/ZnS/TGA QDs; Mechanism; Fluorescent probe; Quenching; Quantum dots; Thermogravimetry; Cobalt; ZnS/TGA QDs; Zinc sulfide; Calcium nitride; Luminescence quenching; Copper sulfide; CuInS; Sulfur; Indium sulfide
• ISSN: 0022-2313; 1872-7883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2013.12.051

A novel sensing fluorescent probe based on the fluorescence quenching of the thioglycolic acid-capped CuInS2/ZnS quantum dots (CuInS2/ZnS/TGA QDs) was established for cobalt ions detection. The fluorescence quenching of CuInS2/ZnS/TGA QDs was due to the increasing surface deficiency and the inner-filter effect, which were attributed to the reaction between Co2+ and sulfur bonds on the surface of QDs. The quenching curve could be fitted by a typical Stern–Volmer-type equation, with a linear relationship between the quenching efficiency and the concentration of cobalt ions in the range of 0.3012–90.36μmolL−1. And the detection limit (S/N=3) for Co2+ was 0.16μmolL−1. Therefore, the established probe provided a simple, rapid, cheap and sensitive method for Co2+ detection. In a word, this method can be used to detect Co2+ in the environment. •The CuInS2/ZnS QDs were used for the first time as a fluorescent probe for Co2+ detection.•The dramatic color change could be observed when Co2+ was added into the QDs solution.•The quenching of QDs was due to the increasing surface deficiency and the inner-filter effect.•This rapid, cheap and sensitive method was applied to the detection of Co2+ in simulated water.