Boron nitride nanosheets as a platform for fluorescence sensing

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2017-11, Vol.174, p.365-371
• Main Authors: Zhan, Yuanjin, Yan, Jingjing, Wu, Mei, Guo, Longhua, Lin, Zhenyu, Qiu, Bin, Chen, Guonan, Wong, Kwok-yin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boron nitride nanosheets; Fluorescence quenching; Photo-induced electron transfer; Sensing platform
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.06.032

Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS), one kind of inorganic graphene analogue, exhibit high fluorescence quenching ability via the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) and different affinity toward single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). As a proof of concept, the BNNS was first used as a sensing platform for the rapid detection of DNA and small molecules with high sensitivity and selectivity in this study. This strategy is versatile and quick fluorescence sensing of DNA and extensive DNA related analytes such as metal cations and small molecules. Moreover, this strategy might be available for the practical application in future. This work provides an avenue for understanding the interaction between two-dimensional nanomaterials and biomolecules and designing novel sensing strategies for extending the applications of nanomaterials in bioanalysis. Schematic Illustration of the Fluorimetric DNA Assay [Display omitted] •BNNS based platform with excellent universality and high flexibility for fluorescence sensor for the first time.•Compared with other sensing platform based on two-dimensional nanomaterial, the strategy is shorter and rapid.•The quenching mechanism of BNNS inferred as photo-induced electron transfer (PET).