Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 23, 2025

A Modular Microfluidic Technology for Systematic Studies of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals
Published on: May 10, 2018
A solid-state colorimetric fluorescence Pb2+-sensing scheme: mechanically-driven CsPbBr3 nanocrystallization in glass
Liqiang Zhang1, Hang Lin, Congyong Wang
1Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Key Laboratory of Design and Assembly of Functional Nanostructures, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China. lingh@fjirsm.ac.cn yswang@fjirsm.ac.cn.
A new solid-state fluorescence method detects toxic lead ions (Pb2+) using responsive borate glass powder. This innovative technique offers a visual color change for intuitive detection and quantitative analysis, aiding environmental and health monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Highly toxic lead ions (Pb2+) present significant risks to human health and ecosystems.
- There is an urgent need for efficient and accessible methods for Pb2+ detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel solid-state fluorescence sensing scheme for detecting Pb2+.
- To create a portable and visually intuitive method for Pb2+ analysis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a Pb2+-responsive borate glass powder that precipitates cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) nanocrystals upon grinding with Pb2+ sources.
- Employed a mechanically driven glass crystallization mechanism for nanocrystal formation.
- Leveraged the concentration-dependent green emission of CsPbBr3 as an indicator and the red emission of Europium (Eu3+) as a reference signal.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated Pb2+ sensing through observable color variations from red to green under UV light, enabling naked-eye detection.
- Achieved quantitative Pb2+ determination with detection limits of approximately 70 ppm (spectrometer) and 400 ppm (smartphone).
- Enabled semi-quantitative analysis via comparison with a calibrated color card.
Conclusions:
- The proposed solid-state fluorescence strategy offers a selective, portable, and rapid method for Pb2+ analysis.
- This approach has potential applications in daily life monitoring and environmental safety assessments.

