Converting capsules to sensors for nondestructive analysis:from cargo-responsive self-sensing to functional characterization

A general concept of converting capsules into sensors is reported. Such simple conversion enables instantaneous nondestructive analysis for applications such as controlled release and energy storage among others. Converted capsule sensors are responsive in emission colors to varying core cargos via the incorporation of a solvatochromic fluorophore under excitation. Such cargo-responsive self-sensing abilities facilitate their application in capsule-level analysis such as cargo retention-leakage detection and release implications, as well as defect identification. The versatile concept is shown as an auxiliary tool in thermal energy storage to visualize phase transition, exhibiting promising potentials in application-level characterization

Highly luminescent gold nanoparticles: effect of ruthenium distance for nanoprobes with enhanced lifetimes

The photophysical properties of gold nanoparticles, AuNPs, with sizes of 13, 50 and 100 nm in diameter, coated with surface-active ruthenium complexes have been studied to investigate the effect of the distance of the ruthenium luminescent centre from the gold surface. Luminescence lifetimes of the three ruthenium probes, RuS1, RuS6 and RuS12, with different length spacer units between the surface active groups and the ruthenium centre were taken. The metal complexes were attached to AuNP13, AuNP50 and AuNP100via thiol groups using a method of precoating the nanoparticles with a fluorinated surfactant. The luminescence lifetime of the longer spacer unit complex, RuS12, was enhanced by 70% upon attachment to the AuNP when compared to the increase of the short and medium linker unit complexes, RuS1 (20%) and RuS6 (40%) respectively. The effect of the surfactant in the lifetime increase of the ruthenium coated AuNPs was shown to be larger for the medium spacer probe, RuS6. There was no effect of the change of the size of the AuNPs from 13 to 50 or 100 nm.</p

Luminescence Lifetime-Based Sensing Platform Based on Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complexes for the Detection of Perfluorooctanoic Acid in Aqueous Samples

Luminescence lifetimes are an attractive analytical method for detection due to its high sensitivity and stability. Iridium probes exhibit luminescence with long excited-state lifetimes, which are sensitive to the local environment. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is listed as a chemical of high concern regarding its toxicity and is classified as a "forever chemical". In addition to strict limits on the presence of PFOA in drinking water, environmental contamination from industrial effluent or chemical spills requires rapid, simple, accurate, and cost-effective analysis in order to aid containment. Herein, we report the fabrication and function of a novel and facile luminescence sensor for PFOA based on iridium modified on gold surfaces. These surfaces were modified with lipophilic iridium complexes bearing alkyl chains, namely, IrC6 and IrC12, and Zonyl-FSA surfactant. Upon addition of PFOA, the modified surfaces IrC6-FSA@Au and IrC12-FSA @Au show the largest change in the red luminescence signal with changes in the luminescence lifetime that allow monitoring of PFOA concentrations in aqueous solutions. The platform was tested for the measurement of PFOA in aqueous samples spiked with known concentrations of PFOA and demonstrated the capacity to determine PFOA at concentrations &gt;100 μg/L (240 nM).</p

Near infra-red luminescent osmium labelled gold nanoparticles for cellular imaging and singlet oxygen generation

Osmium(ii) complexes have attractive properties for potential theranostic agents given their anticancer activitiy, their redox potentials favourable for biological transformations within cancer cells and their luminescence in the near infrared (NIR) region. To achieve localised detection and delivery, gold nanoparticles (AuNP) provide an attractive scaffold to attach multiple luminescent agents on a single particle and provide a multimodal platform for detection and loaclaised delivery. We have developed 13 nm and 25 nm AuNP decorated with an osmium complex based on 1,10-phenantholine and surface active bipyridine ligands, OsPhenSS for live cell imaging and singlet oxygen generation, notated as OsPhenSS·AuNP13 and OsPhenSS·AuNP25. The AuNP designs not only allow versatile modalities for localisation of the probe but also water solubility for the osmium metal complex. The osmium decorated nanoparticles OsPhenSS·AuNP13 and OsPhenSS·AuNP25 display characteristic NIR luminescence from the osmium(ii) 3MLCT at 785 nm in aqueous solutions with visible excitation. Upon incubation of the nanoparticles in lung cancer and breast carcinoma the luminescence signature of osmium and the gold reflectance reveal localisation in the cytoplasmic and perinuclear compartments. Excitation of the nanoparticles at 552 nm in the presence of a ROS indicator revealed a marked increase in the green fluorescence from the indicator, consistent with photo-induced ROS generation. The detection of singlet oxygen by time-resolved luminescence studies of the osmium and the nanoparticle probes further demonstrates the dual activity of the osmium-based nanoprobes for imaging and therapy. The introduction of gold nanoparticles for carrying osmium imaging probes allows a novel versatile strategy combining detection and localised therapies at the nanoscale