Superior peroxidase mimetic activity of carbon dots–Pt nanocomposites relies on synergistic effects

Abstract

Composite structures based on synergistic effects are perfect candidates to explore efficient functional materials. So far, metal–carbon dots composites have not been used as peroxidase mimetics. Herein, we report a carbon dots–Pt nanocomposite which was synthesized by a simple method. Due to the synergistic effects between carbon dots and Pt, the catalytic efficiency of the composite was nine times and five times higher than those of carbon dots and Pt respectively. The production of active oxygen species (˙OH) by H₂O₂ decomposition was responsible for the oxidation of TMB. On this basis, carbon dots–Pt nanoparticles were used successfully for visual and colorimetric detection of H₂O₂ and glucose. The detections of H₂O₂ and glucose are in a linear range from 2.5 × 10⁻⁶ to 1 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹ and 5 × 10⁻⁶ to 5 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹, respectively, with the detection limit down to 8 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ H₂O₂ and 1.67 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ glucose.