Boron and nitrogen Co-doped carbon nanoparticles as photoluminescent probes for selective and sensitive detection of picric acid

Hari Krishna Sadhanala, Karuna Kar Nanda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

91 Scopus citations

Abstract

Here, we report the synthesis of boron and nitrogen Co-doped carbon nanoparticles (BN-CNPs) by a hydrothermal method using sucrose, boric acid, and urea as the precursors. The BN-CNPs show excellent photoluminescence with a quantum yield of ∼14.2% in aqueous solution and can be used as photoluminescent probes for selective and sensitive detection of picric acid (PA). PA quenches the photoluminescence signal remarkably, while other explosives cause a little quenching confirming the high selectivity of BN-CNPs. The sensitivity toward PA sensing is high at pH 7 and increases with temperature. The detection limit as well as the sensitivity are shown to improve by adding NaCl to the PA. The low detection limit can be as low as 10 nM at room temperature and pH 7, which indicates the BN-CNPs are superior as compared to other luminescent probes reported in the literature.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)13138-13143
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry C
Volume119
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - 11 Jun 2015
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 American Chemical Society.

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Boron and nitrogen Co-doped carbon nanoparticles as photoluminescent probes for selective and sensitive detection of picric acid'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this