Preparation of an intelligent hydrogel sensor based on g-C₃N₄ nanosheets for selective detection of Ag⁺

ABSTRACT

In this study, an “intelligent” graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets/ polyacrylamide/ polyacrylic acid (CNNS/ PAM/ PAA) composite hydrogel was prepared by radical polymerization method. The structure, swelling and fluorescent properties of the gels were investigated. The results showed that the mixed gel not only had pH sensitivity in aqueous solution, but also had specific concentration-dependent fluorescent intensities in the presence of Ag⁺ over the range (0–100) μM with a detection limit of 6.31 μM. The mixed gel can be applied to be fluorescence probe for detection of Ag⁺.

KEYWORDS:

• Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets
• hydrogels
• pH sensitivity
• photoluminescence
• Ag⁺

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the National Science and Technology Support Program [2014BAB15B02], the Natural Science Foundation of Southwest University of Science and Technology [15zx7125] and the Longshan Academic Talent Research Supporting Program of SWUST (17LZX406), the Foundation of Key Laboratory for Palygorskite Science and Applied Technology of Jiangsu Province (HPK201602).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Longshan Academic Talent Research Supporting Program of SWUST (17LZX406), Natural Science Foundation of Southwest University of Science and Technology (15zx7125), National Science and Technology Support Program (2014BAB15B02), Foundation of Key Laboratory for Palygorskite Science and Applied Technology of Jiangsu Province (HPK201602).