Cationic AIEgen micelle-improved chemiluminescent H₂O₂ assay by integrating reactant approach and CRET

The enhancement of chemiluminescence (CL) intensity is significant in the development of chemiluminescent detection systems with improved sensitivity. In this study, a cationic surfactant with an intrinsic aggregation-induced emission emitter (AIEgen) has been applied to boost the CL signal of the horseradish peroxidase-luminol-H₂O₂ system. The formed cationic AIEgen micelles enhance the CL signal in two ways: the electrostatic attraction-mediated enrichment and approach of reactants and the high CRET efficiency between excited luminol radicals and AIEgen in the surfactant backbone. As a result, strong CL intensity is produced. Rapid and sensitive H₂O₂ detection is realized through the proposed cationic AIEgen micelle-containing chemiluminescent system with a limit of detection of 100 nM. The favourable selectivity over other possible interferents including metal ions and anions is due to the specific chemical reaction. Practical H₂O₂ analysis of thawing water samples with high accuracy using the proposed chemiluminescent platform is realized and is consistent with standard methods.