A Unique, Porous C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Nanotube for Electrochemiluminescence with High Emission Intensity and Long-Term Stability: The Role of Calcination Atmosphere
Bolin Zhao,
Xingzi Zou,
Jiahui Liang,
Yelin Luo,
Xianxi Liang,
Yuwei Zhang,
Li Niu
Affiliations
Bolin Zhao
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Xingzi Zou
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Jiahui Liang
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Yelin Luo
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Xianxi Liang
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Yuwei Zhang
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Li Niu
School of Civil Engineering c/o Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Developing excellent strategies to optimize the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) performance of C3N4 materials remains a challenge due to the electrode passivation, causing weak and unstable light emission. A strategy of controlling the calcination atmosphere was proposed to improve the ECL performance of C3N4 nanotubes. Interestingly, we found that calcination atmosphere played a key role in specific surface area, pore-size and crystallinity of C3N4 nanotubes. The C3N4 nanotubes prepared in the Air atmosphere (C3N4 NT-Air) possess a larger specific surface area, smaller pore-size and better crystallinity, which is crucial to improve ECL properties. Therefore, more C3N4•− excitons could be produced on C3N4 NT-Air, reacting with the SO4•− during the electrochemical reaction, which can greatly increase the ECL signal. Furthermore, when C3N4 nanotube/K2S2O8 system is proposed as a sensing platform, it offers a high sensitivity, and good selectivity for the detection of Cu2+, with a wide linear range of 0.25 nM~1000 nM and a low detection limit of 0.08 nM.
