Highly selective optical detection of Fe3+ ions in aqueous solution using label-free silicon nanocrystals

Abstract

High brightness amine‐terminated silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) have been utilized in a simple and rapid assay for the highly selective and sensitive detection of Fe3+ via quenching of their strong blue luminescence, without the need for analyte‐specific labeling groups. Sensitive detection of Fe3+ is successfully demonstrated, with a linear relationship observed between luminescence quenching and Fe3+ concentration from 5 × 10−6 to 900 × 10−6m and a limit of detection of 1.3 × 10−6m. The Si NCs show excellent selectivity toward Fe3+ ions, with no quenching of the luminescence signal induced by the presence of Fe2+ ions, allowing for solution phase discrimination between the ionic species in different charge states.