In this paper, we report the development of a versatile platform for a highly efficient and stable graphene oxide(GO)-based optical sensor that exhibits distinctive ratiometric color responses. To demonstrate the applicability of the platform, we fabricated a colorimetric, GO-based pH sensor that responds to a wide range of pH changes. Our sensing system is based on responsive polymer and quantum dot (QD) hybrids integrated on a single GO sheet (MQD-GO), with the GO providing an excellent signal-to-noise ratio and high dispersion stability in water. The photoluminescence emissions of the blue and orange color-emitting QDs (BQDs and OQDs) in MQD-GO can be controlled independently by different pH-responsive linkers of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) (pKa = 4.5) and poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) (pKa = 3.0) that can tune the efficiencies of F�rster resonance energy transfer from the BQDs to the GO and from the OQDs to the GO, respectively. As a result, the color of MQD-GO changes from orange to white to blue over a wide range of pH values. The detailed mechanism of the pH-dependent response of the MQD-GO sensor was elucidated by measurements of time-resolved fluorescence and dynamic light scattering. Furthermore, the MQD-GO sensor showed excellent reversibility and high dispersion stability in pure water, indicating that our system is an ideal platform for biological and environmental applications. Our colorimetric GO-based optical sensor can be expanded easily to various other multi-functional, GO-based sensors by using alternate stimuli-responsive polymers.

Efficient colorimetric pH sensor based on responsive polymer-quantum dot integrated graphene oxide

248th National Meeting (2014)

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