Chrono-colorimetric sensor array for detection and discrimination of halide ions using an all-in-one plasmonic sensor...

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Sensing

Background:

• Traditional colorimetric sensor arrays often require multiple sensor elements and static responses, increasing complexity and cost.
• Synthesizing or functionalizing diverse nanoparticles for wide color variation presents significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simplified and cost-effective colorimetric sensor array for halide ion detection.
• To utilize the time-dimension response of triangular silver nanoparticles (TSNPs) for discriminating target analytes.
• To demonstrate the potential of TSNPs in real-world water sample analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of a colorimetric sensor array using triangular silver nanoparticles (TSNPs).
• Exploitation of the diverse etching processes of TSNPs induced by bromide (Br-), iodide (I-), and chloride (Cl-) ions.
• Analysis of time-dependent colorimetric responses using Partial Least Squares regression (PLS-R) and discriminant analysis (PLS-DA).

Main Results:

• TSNPs exhibited distinct etching processes and induced color changes at different reaction time intervals for each halide ion.
• The chrono-colorimetric sensor array successfully discriminated and quantitatively detected halide ions based on time-dependent color patterns.
• Accurate determination of the three halide ions was achieved in a real water sample, validating the sensor's practical applicability.

Conclusions:

• The developed chrono-colorimetric sensor array based on TSNPs offers a simplified and effective approach for halide ion detection.
• Time-dependent etching responses of a single sensing component (TSNPs) can generate sufficient color variation for naked-eye discrimination.
• The sensor demonstrates significant potential for environmental monitoring and water quality analysis.