Reusable red emission carbon dots based smartphone sensing platform for three-mode on-site real-time detection of alcohol content

A three-mode fluorescence sensing platform using reusable red emission carbon dots (R-CDs) as a fluorescent sensor was developed for rapid and highly sensitive detection of alcohol content in alcoholic beverages. The R-CDs prepared using ionic liquids as precursors exhibited excellent dispersion and red fluorescence characteristics in ethanol. Moreover, the fluorescence could be quenched due to their aggregation in water. Based on the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) mechanism, a new fluorescence assay for the detection of alcohol content was established with a limit of detection as low as 0.12 %. This sensing platform possessed the advantages of low cost, portability, and simplicity of operation, and laid a further foundation for the on-site detection application of R-CDs in the field of sensing.