Chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer in the luminol–CdTe quantum dots conjugates

The luminol–CdTe quantum dots (QDs) conjugates were prepared through the reaction between –NH2 and –COOH. The resonance energy transfer between chemiluminescence donor (luminol–H2O2 system) and quantum dots (QDs, with different emission peaks) acceptors (CRET) was investigated. The luminescence of QDs in luminol–QDs conjugates in the process of CRET was influenced by the molar ratio of luminol/QDs. It could reach higher luminescence intensity while the luminol/QDs value was 1/1. Quantum yield of QDs and overlapping areas between the emission spectrum of luminol and adsorption spectrum of QDs played important roles in the CRET efficiency of luminol–QDs conjugates. The higher CRET efficiency (21.2%) was observed when the 540 nm QDs were used as acceptors. This work will offer helpful knowledge for the CRET studies based on QDs.