Interaction-Transferable Graphene-Isolated Superstable AuCo Nanocrystal-Enabled Direct Cyanide Capture

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Noble metals are used for molecule identification but are corroded by cyanide.
• Direct detection of cyanide is challenging due to its corrosive nature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a novel, superstable magnetic graphene-isolated AuCo nanocrystal (MACG) for cyanide detection.
• To overcome the limitations of noble metal corrosion by cyanide.
• To enable direct cyanide capture without specific ligands.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of magnetic graphene-isolated AuCo nanocrystals (MACGs).
• Utilizing density functional theory (DFT) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis.
• Testing MACGs for cyanide capture in hydrologic environments and in vivo using *C. elegans*.

Main Results:

• Graphene isolation provided superior stability against cyanide corrosion.
• MACGs exhibited transferable interaction with cyanide despite graphene isolation.
• Efficient cyanide capture and clearance were achieved in various environments.
• Sensitive in vivo cyanide capture was demonstrated in *C. elegans*.

Conclusions:

• MACGs offer a stable and effective platform for cyanide detection and capture.
• The novel graphene isolation strategy preserves essential metal-analyte interactions.
• MACGs show promise for environmental remediation and biomedical applications involving cyanide.