Ultrafast fluorescence probe to H2O2 vapor based on organic-inorganic hybrid silica nanoparticles

A kind of organic-inorganic hybrid silica nanoparticles loaded with 1,8-naphthalimide borate ester (NIB@SiO2) was used to detect trace hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) vapor via turn-off mechanism. The detailed studies showed that utilizing silica nanoparticles can improve the adsorption properties and hydrophilicity of the sensing film, accelerate the deboronation reaction between the sensing material and H2O2, and then shorten the response time successively, which is always the disturbing challenge for this deboronation-type fluorescent probe to H2O2 vapor. The fluorescence of NIB@SiO2 film was quenched greatly under H2O2 saturated vapor within 5 s at room temperature and limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 184 ppt, which are among the best reported results. Thus, this study provides an ultrafast and highly sensitive organic-inorganic hybrid fluorescent probe to H2O2 vapor, moreover, a new design strategy for promising H2O2 fluorescent probe is revealed.