Preparation of graphite-like carbon nitride nanoflake film with strong fluorescent and electrochemiluminescent activity

Confined Synthesis of Carbon Nitride in a Layered Host Matrix with Unprecedented Solid-State Quantum Yield and Stability

Fluorescent carbon nanomaterials have drawn tremendous attention for their intriguing optical performances, but their employment in solid-state luminescent devices is rather limited as a result of aggregation-induced photoluminescence quenching. Herein, ultrathin carbon nitride (CN) is synthesized within the 2D confined region of layered double hydroxide (LDH) via triggering the interlayer condensation reaction of citric acid and urea. The resulting CN/LDH phosphor emits strong cyan light under UV-light irradiation with an absolute solid-state quantum yield (SSQY) of 95.9 ± 2.2%, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest value of carbon-based fluorescent materials ever reported. Furthermore, it exhibits a strong luminescence stability toward temperature, environmental pH, and photocorrosion. Both experimental studies and theoretical calculations reveal that the host-guest interactions between the rigid LDH matrix and interlayer carbon nitride give the predominant contribution to the unprecedented SSQY and stability. In addition, prospective applications of the CN/LDH material are demonstrated in both white light-emitting diodes and upconversion fluorescence imaging of cancer cells.

Graphitic-phase carbon nitride-based electrochemiluminescence sensing analyses: recent advances and perspectives

This review describes the current trends in synthesis methods, signaling strategies, and sensing applications of g-C₃N₄-based ECL emitters.

Molecular engineering of polymeric carbon nitride: advancing applications from photocatalysis to biosensing and more

Different designs and constructions of molecular structures of carbon nitride for emerging applications, such as biosensing, are discussed.

Electrochemiluminescent resonance energy transfer of polymer dots for aptasensing

This work designed a three-component polymer for the preparation of polymer dots (Pdots). The polymer contained 9-(diphenylmethylene)-9H-fluorene (DPF), 9,9-dioctyl-9H-fluorene (DOF) and 1,1'-binaphthyl moieties, and was synthesized via Pd-catalyzed Suzuki reaction. It exhibited obvious yellow-colored aggregation-induced emission (AIE) for fluorescence enhancement at 543nm via an intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer from DOF moiety to DPF moiety. The Pdots prepared by nanoprecipitation could be conveniently cast on electrode surface and showed a stable anodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission in the presence of triethylamine as a co-reactant. The ECL emission could be effectively quenched by rhodamine B via resonance energy transfer, which led to an "off-on" switch for the design of ECL sensing methodology. Using Pb²⁺ as a target model, an ECL aptasensor for the detection of trace Pb²⁺ was proposed, which showed a linear range of 100pM to 1.0μM with a detection limit down to 38.0pM This work demonstrated the first Pdots prepared with AIE-active polymer for highly efficient ECL sensing.

A high sensitive visible light-driven photoelectrochemical aptasensor for shrimp allergen tropomyosin detection using graphitic carbon nitride-TiO2 nanocomposite

Herein, for the first time a visible-light-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor for shrimp tropomyosin determination was fabricated by using graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as photoactive nanomaterials, ascorbic acid (AA) as electron donor and ruthenium (III) hexaammine (Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺) as signal enhancer. The surface of an ITO electrode was first modified with g-C₃N₄, TiO₂, and polyethyleneimine (PEI) and then the amine terminal aptamer_TROP probe was attached to PEI by the use of glutaraldehyde (GA) as cross-linker. After that, Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺ was adsorbed on aptamer to enhance the photocurrent signal. The principle of proposed PEC aptasensor is based on the formation of a selective complex between tropomyosin and immobilized aptamer_TROP probe on the surface of ITO/g-C₃N₄-TiO₂/PEI/aptamer_TROP-Ru(NH3)₆⁺³. After the incubation of tropomyosin with TROP aptamer probe, the photocurrent signal decreased due to releasing adsorbed Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺ on aptamer and preventing AA from scavenging photogenerated holes to the photoactive modified electrode. Under the optimized conditions, the fabricated PEC aptasensor was used for the determination of shrimp tropomyosin in the concentration range of 1-400ngmL^-1 with a limit of detection of 0.23ngmL^-1. The proposed PEC aptasensor exhibited high selectivity, sensitivity, and good stability.

A simple fluorescence sensor for the detection of nitrite (NO2−) in real samples using water-dispersible graphite-like carbon nitride (w-g-C3N4) nanomaterials

A novel NO₂⁻ detection method based on the reaction of w-g-C₃N₄ with nitrite (NO₂⁻) in an acidic medium.

On–off–on fluorescence sensing of glutathione in food samples based on a graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)–Cu2+ strategy

A novel fluorescence sensor based on a g-C₃N₄ nanosheet–Cu²⁺ system has been developed for rapid, sensitive and selective sensing of glutathione (GSH) in food samples.

Enhanced electrogenerated chemiluminescence behavior of C3N4 QDs@ C3N4 nanosheet and its signal-on aptasensing for platelet derived growth factor

A novel g-C₃N₄ nanosheets embedded with C₃N₄ QDs nanocomposites (QD@CNNS) was prepared by simple oxidation using hydrogen peroxide and UV light irradiation. This nanocomposite exhibits more stable and stronger electrochemiluminescent (ECL) behavior compared with CNNS. Coupling this nanocomposite with Fc-labeled aptamer, a signal-on aptasensor for platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) is fabricated. Initially, the Fc-labeled aptamer binds onto QD@CNNS via π-π conjugation and electrostatic interaction, quenching ECL emission from QD@CNNS. The introduction of target efficiently recovers the ECL signal by the formation of PDGF-BB/aptamer complex. The ECL intensity is proportion to the concentration of PDGF-BB in the range of 0.02-80nM with a detection limit of 0.013nM. This work demonstrates a simple synthesis method to obtain QD@CNNS with excellent ECL behavior, and opens up the application of g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite in signal-on aptasensing.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Film: An Emerging Star for Catalytic and Optoelectronic Applications

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) is a unique organic semiconductor that has been widely applied as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst. However, these applications are primarily based on g-CN powders. Applications of g-CN in devices are hindered because of difficulties associated with the synthesis of high-quality g-CN films. This work reviews the latest advances in g-CN films. The deposition methods are summarized and the structural, optical, and electronic properties of g-CN films and their applications in catalysis, solar cells, and light-emitting diodes are outlined. Moreover, the challenges remaining in this field are also discussed.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Materials: Sensing, Imaging and Therapy

Graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C₃ N₄ ) are a class of 2D polymeric materials mainly composed of carbon and nitrogen atoms. g-C₃ N₄ are attracting dramatically increasing interest in the areas of sensing, imaging, and therapy, due to their unique optical and electronic properties. Here, the luminescent properties (mainly includes photoluminescence and electrochemiluminescence), and catalytic and photoelectronic properties related to sensing and therapy applications of g-C₃ N₄ materials are reviewed. Furthermore, the fabrication and advantages of sensing, imaging and therapy systems based on g-C₃ N₄ materials are summarized. Finally, the future perspectives for developing the sensing, imaging and therapy applications of the g-C₃ N₄ materials are discussed.

Dual-Mode Luminescent Nanopaper Based on Ultrathin g-C3N4 Nanosheets Grafted with Rare-Earth Upconversion Nanoparticles

Ultrathin graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets have attracted considerable attention due to the enhanced intrinsic photoabsorption and photoresponse with respect to bulk g-C3N4. For the first time, a dual-mode of down- and upconversion luminescent g-C3N4 nanopaper with high optical transparency and mechanical robustness was successfully fabricated through a simple thermal evaporation process using chitosan as a green cross-linking agent. The dual-mode of down- and upconversion fluorescence emission originated from the amino terminated ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets functionalized with carboxylic acid modified multicolored rare-earth upconversion nanoparticles (cit-UCNPs) via EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. The homogeneously distributed cit-UCNPs@g-C3N4 nanoconjugates with excellent hydrophilicity displayed good film-forming ability and structural integrity; thus, the photoluminescence of each ingredient was substantially maintained. Results indicated that the freestanding chitosan cross-linked cit-UCNPs@g-C3N4 luminescent nanopaper possessed high transmittance, excellent mechanical properties, and remarkable dual-mode emission. The smart design of high performance luminescent nanopaper based on ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets grafted with multicolored UCNPs offers a potential strategy to immobilize other multifunctional luminescent materials for easily recognizable and hardly replicable anticounterfeiting fields.

Biomedical Uses for 2D Materials Beyond Graphene: Current Advances and Challenges Ahead

Currently, a broad interdisciplinary research effort is pursued on biomedical applications of 2D materials (2DMs) beyond graphene, due to their unique physicochemical and electronic properties. The discovery of new 2DMs is driven by the diverse chemical compositions and tuneable characteristics offered. Researchers are increasingly attracted to exploit those as drug delivery systems, highly efficient photothermal modalities, multimodal therapeutics with non-invasive diagnostic capabilities, biosensing, and tissue engineering. A crucial limitation of some of the 2DMs is their moderate colloidal stability in aqueous media. In addition, the lack of suitable functionalisation strategies should encourage the exploration of novel chemical methodologies with that purpose. Moreover, the clinical translation of these emerging materials will require undertaking of fundamental research on biocompatibility, toxicology and biopersistence in the living body as well as in the environment. Here, a thorough account of the biomedical applications using 2DMs explored today is given.

Study on the Ultrahigh Quantum Yield of Fluorescent P,O-g-C3 N4 Nanodots and its Application in Cell Imaging

Graphitic carbon nitride nanodots (g-C3 N4 nanodots), as a new kind of heavy-metal-free quantum dots, have attracted considerable attention because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Although various methods to obtain g-C3 N4 nanodots have been reported, it is still a challenge to synthesize g-C3 N4 nanodots with ultrahigh fluorescence quantum yield (QY). In this study, highly fluorescent phosphorus/oxygen-doped graphitic carbon nitride (P,O-g-C3 N4 ) nanodots were prepared by chemical oxidation and hydrothermal etching of bulk P-g-C3 N4 derived from the pyrolysis of phytic acid and melamine. The as-prepared P,O-g-C3 N4 nanodots showed strong blue fluorescence and a relatively high QY of up to 90.2 %, which can be ascribed to intrinsic phosphorus/oxygen-containing groups, and surface-oxidation-related fluorescence enhancement. In addition, the P,O-g-C3 N4 nanodots were explored for cell imaging with excellent stability and biocompatibility, which suggest that they have great potential in biological applications.

Two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for biosensing applications

Two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNSs) with planar graphene-like structure have stimulated increasingly research interest in recent years due to their unique physicochemical properties. CNNSs possess superior stability, high fluorescence quantum yield, low-toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, unique electroluminescent and photoelectrochemical properties, which make them appropriate candidates for biosensing. In this review, we first introduce the preparation and unique properties of CNNSs, with emphasis on their superior properties for biosensing. Then, recent advances of CNNSs in photoelectrochemical biosensing, electrochemiluminescence biosensing and fluorescence biosensing are highlighted. An additional attention is paid to the marriage of CNNSs and nucleic acids, which exhibits great potentials in both biosensing and intracellular imaging. Finally, current challenges and opportunities of this 2D material are outlined. Inspired by the unique properties of CNNSs and their advantages in biological applications, we expect that more attention will be drawn to this promising 2D material and extensive applications can be found in bioanalysis and diseases diagnosis.

A fluorescent graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet biosensor for highly sensitive, label-free detection of alkaline phosphatase

Graphitic C3N4 (g-C3N4) nanosheets provide an attractive option for bioprobes and bioimaging applications. Utilizing highly fluorescent and water-dispersible ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets, a highly sensitive, selective and label-free biosensor has been developed for ALP detection for the first time. The developed approach utilizes a natural substrate of ALP in biological systems and thus affords very high catalytic efficiency. This novel biosensor is demonstrated to enable quantitative analysis of ALP in a wide range from 0.1 to 1000 U L(-1) with a low detection limit of 0.08 U L(-1), which is among the most sensitive assays for ALP. It is expected that the developed method may provide a low-cost, convenient, rapid and highly sensitive platform for ALP-based clinical diagnostics and biomedical applications.

One step preparation of proton-functionalized photoluminescent graphitic carbon nitride and its sensing applications

Proton-functionalized g-C₃N₄ was synthesized using thiourea and HNO₃ as source materials under microwave for only 3 min.

NIR-driven graphitic-phase carbon nitride nanosheets for efficient bioimaging and photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive and promising anticancer therapy modality that utilizes the photochemical reactions of photosensitizers, upon irradiation at a specific wavelength, to yield reactive oxygen species (ROS) to impair malignant cancer cells.

Carbon nitride quantum dot-based chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer for iodide ion sensing

Schematic illustration of the CL process and mechanism of Ce(iv)–sulfite and g-CNQDs–Ce(iv)–sulfite system.

A sensitive electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor for galactosyltransferase activity analysis based on a graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet interface and polystyrene microsphere-enhanced responses

An electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor for galactosyltransferases activity analysis was developed based on g-C₃N₄ nanosheet interface and polystyrene microsphere enhanced responses.

Enhanced photoelectrochemical cytosensing of fibroblast-like synoviocyte cells based on visible light-activated ox-GQDs and carboxylated g-C3N4 sensitized TiO2 nanorods

Scheme A: Schematic illustration of the PEC cytosensor fabrication process, B: schematic illustration of the energy level diagram.

An enhanced photoelectrochemical platform: graphite-like carbon nitride nanosheet-functionalized ZnO nanotubes

Large-scale two-dimensional graphite-like carbon nitride nanosheets with obvious upconversion properties were prepared by a liquid exfoliation route and used to functionalize ZnO nanotubes to construct a photoelectrochemical platform.

A rapid and sensitive electrochemiluminescent sensor for nitrites based on C3N4 quantum dots on C3N4 nanosheets

Nitrite, an inorganic anion, is widely applied in various fields.

Simple and signal-off electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for alpha fetoprotein based on gold nanoparticle-modified graphite-like carbon nitride nanosheet nanohybrids

A simple, signal-off electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for sensitive and selective detection of alpha fetoprotein was developed based on gold nanoparticle modified graphite-like carbon nitride nanosheet nanohybrids.

In situ ion-exchange synthesis of SnS2/g-C3N4 nanosheets heterojunction for enhancing photocatalytic activity

SnS₂/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions with different contents of SnS₂ have been prepared via a simple ion-exchange process.

Emergence of fluorescence in boron nitride nanoflakes and its application in bioimaging

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoflakes show fluorescence and can be used for bio-imaging.