Ultra-Weak Chemiluminescence Enhanced by Cerium-Doped LaF3 Nanoparticles: A Potential Nitrite Analysis Method

Abstract

In this work, cerium-doped LaF3 nanoparticles (LaF3:Ce NPs) were successfully synthesized and characterized. Its chemiluminescence (CL) property was studied, and it was amazingly found that it intensely enhanced the ultra-weak CL of the NaNO2-H2O2 system. The CL mechanism was systematically investigated and suggested to be the recombination of electron-injected and hole-injected LaF3:Ce NPs. The new CL system was developed to be a facile, original, and direct method for nitrite analysis. Experimental conditions were optimized and then a satisfactory linear relationship between CL intensity and nitrite concentration was obtained. This work introduced a new pathway for the research and application of traditional fluoride NPs doped with RE3+.