Visual detection of blood glucose based on peroxidase-like activity of WS2 nanosheets.

Tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets were discovered to possess intrinsic peroxidase-like activity and catalyze the peroxidase substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to produce a color reaction in the presence of H2O2. Based on this finding, a colorimetric method and a portable test kit for the visual detection of blood glucose have been developed by using glucose oxidase (GOx) and WS2 nanosheets-catalyzed reactions. The linear range for glucose was ranged from 5 to 300 μM (R(2)=0.

Graphite-like carbon nitrides as peroxidase mimetics and their applications to glucose detection.

g-C3N4 was found to possess intrinsic peroxidase-like activity, and could catalytically oxidize 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H2O2 to produce a color reaction. Using g-C3N4 peroxidase-like catalytic activity and glucose oxidase (GOx), a colorimetric method for glucose detection in serum samples has been developed. The linear range for glucose was from 5 to 100 μM (R(2)=0.

Mussel-inspired polydopamine coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles as pH-sensitive nanocarriers for controlled release.

A novel pH-sensitive controlled release system is proposed by using mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) as nanocarriers. MSNs with a large pore diameter are synthesized by using 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene as a pore-expanding agent and are modified with a PDA coating by virtue of oxidative self-polymerization of dopamine in neutral pH. PDA coated MSNs are characterized by FTIR, TEM, N₂ adsorption and XPS techniques.

Amplified colorimetric detection of mercuric ions through autonomous assembly of G-quadruplex DNAzyme nanowires.

An amplified colorimetric detection of Hg(2+) is proposed by combining T-Hg(2+)-T base pairs and hybridization chain reaction (HCR). Two hairpins consisting of three-fourths and one-fourth of the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-mimicking DNAzyme in inactive configuration are used as functional elements. In the presence of Hg(2+), one of the hairpins is opened by an assistant probe with the help of T-Hg(2+)-T base pairs and this triggers an autonomous cross-opening of the two hairpins using the strand displacement principle, resulting in the formation of DNA nanowires consisting of numerous reunited Q-quadruplex DNAzyme units.

A pH-responsive controlled release system using layered double hydroxide (LDH)-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

A pH-responsive controlled release system is proposed using acid-decomposable layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as inorganic nanovalves by virtue of the electrostatic adsorption of LDH nanosheets on the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). Guest molecules (Ru(bpy)Cl in this case) are loaded and encapsulated in a neutral environment. The dissolution of the LDH coatings in an acidic environment triggers the release of the guest molecules from the MSNs.