Methods and strategies for robust electrochemiluminescence signal quantification

Ever since the discovery of electrochemiluminescence (ECL), researchers have been devoted to exploring various approaches to improve the signal-to-noise ratio by testing different luminophores and introducing nanostructures, with the ultimate goal of enhancing analytical performance and expanding ECL's areas of application. In order to identify the most effective method and materials, the ECL quantum efficiency (ECL-QE) is the key parameter utilized for objective comparison among systems including different luminophores, co-reactants, electrode materials, experimental configurations, etc. However, due to the strong dependence of ECL on experimental parameters, developing an instrument-independent ECL-QE equation has proven challenging, resulting in significant variations in its value. Herein, we examine the most recent approaches for determining the ECL-QE in solution-phase and heterogeneous systems.