Q Huang et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 415501 doi:10.1088/0957-4484/20/41/415501
Q Huang1, Y Bando, L Zhao, C Y Zhi and D Golberg
Show affiliationsA submicrometer-sized pH sensor based on biotin–fluorescein-functionalized multiwalled BN nanotubes with anchored Ag nanoparticles is designed. Intrinsic pH-dependent photoluminescence and Raman signals in attached fluorescein molecules enhanced by Ag nanoparticles allow this novel nanohybrid to perform as a practical pH sensor. It is able to work in a submicrometer-sized space. For example, the sensor may determine the environmental pH of sub-units in living cells where a traditional optical fiber sensor fails because of spatial limitations.
07.07.Df Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing
78.30.-j Infrared and Raman spectra
78.66.-w Optical properties of specific thin films
78.55.-m Photoluminescence, properties and materials
82.80.-d Chemical analysis and related physical methods of analysis
Condensed matter: electrical, magnetic and optical
Instrumentation and measurement
Issue 41 (14 October 2009)
Received 3 June 2009, in final form 22 August 2009
Published 16 September 2009
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