Dual-Mode of Fluorescence Turn-On and Wavelength-Shift for Methylamine Gas Sensing Based on Space-Confined Growth of Methylammonium Lead Tribromide Perovskite Nanocrystals

The defect-tolerant nature of lead halide perovskites renders outstanding luminescence by simple space-confined growth in nanopores. The fluorescence turn-on and wavelength-shift phenomena could be found in the formation of methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr3) nanocrystals in hollow SiO2 nanospheres triggered by the reaction between methylamine (MA) gas and HPbBr3/PbBr2@SiO2 nanospheres. The enhanced fluorescence intensity is linear with the MA concentration in the range of 1.0-95 ppm with a limit of detection (LOD) of 70 ppb (S/N = 3). In addition, the maximum emission wavelength is consistently red-shifted from 478.7 to 510.6 nm as the MA concentration increases from 1.0 to 95 ppm, imparting the potential for colorimetric sensing. By combining the fluorescence turn-on and colorimetric sensing modes, the flexible method meets the demands for visual discrimination and point-of-care determination with portable devices.