Endogenous hydrogen peroxide in vivo is related to many diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. Although many probes for detection of H2O2 have been explored, rapid response probes are still expected for in vivo application. Here, a new probe (PAM-BN-PB) was designed based on an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process with three parts: phenanthroimidazole, benzonitrile, and phenyl boronate. By modulation ICT process of PAM-BN-PB, H2O2 in solution systems can be detected with good selectivity. The exogenous and endogenous H2O2 in normal living cells, ischemia-reperfusion injury cells, and animals all can be imaged by PAM-BN-PB.

A colorimetric fluorescent probe with fluorescence emission feature sensitive to SO2 derivatives, i.e. bisulfite (HSO3−) and sulfite (SO32−), was developed based on the HSO3−/SO32−-mediated nucleophilic addition reaction of the probe that. This probe exhibited SO32− sensing ability with detection limit down to 46 nM and desired selectivity over other reference anions and redox species. The preliminary fluorescence bioimaging experiments have validated the practicability of the as-prepared probe for SO2 derivatives sensing in living cells.

The exploration of inexpensive and efficient anode buffer layers is essential in large scale commercial applications of polymer solar cells (PSCs). Here, we report a simple way that can significantly enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and extend the lifetime of PSCs. A solution-based tungsten oxide (WO3) layer with surface oxygen vacancies (VOs) is introduced as an efficient anode buffer layer between the active layer and indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. The PCEs of PSCs based on P3HT:PC61BM and PBDTTT–C:PC71BM active layers are improved by 24% (from 3.84% to 4.76%) and 27% (from 5.91% to 7.50%) with the introduction of the WO3 (VO) anode buffer layer, respectively, compared to that of the conventional PEDOT:PSS layer. The excellent performance is ascribed to the greatly improved fill factor and enhanced short circuit current density of the devices, which are benefited from the surface with lots of VOs for better interfacial contact and excellent charge transport properties of the WO3 (VO) layer. The impressive PCE, good stability, easy fabrication and compatibility with solution processed organic photovoltaic devices support this material's potential applications in PSCs for both wide bandgap and narrow bandgap polymers.

A simple and label-free colorimetric method for cadmium ions (Cd2+) detection using unmodified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is reported. The unmodified AuNPs easily aggregate in a high concentration of NaCl solution, but the presence of glutathione (GSH) can prevent the salt-induced aggregation of AuNPs. When Cd2+ is added to the stable mixture of AuNPs, GSH, and NaCl, Cd2+ can coordinate with 4× GSH as a spherical shaped complex, which decreases the amount of free GSH on the surface of gold nanoparticles to weaken the stability of AuNPs, and AuNPs will easily aggregate in high-salt conditions. On the basis of the mechanism, we design a simple, label-free colorimetric method using AuNPs accompanied by GSH in a high-salt environment to detect Cd2+ in water and digested rice samples.

The exploration of inexpensive and efficient anode buffer layers is essential in large scale commercial applications of polymer solar cells (PSCs). Here, we report a simple way that can significantly enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and extend the lifetime of PSCs. A solution-based tungsten oxide (WO3) layer with surface oxygen vacancies (VOs) is introduced as an efficient anode buffer layer between the active layer and indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. The PCEs of PSCs based on P3HT:PC61BM and PBDTTT–C:PC71BM active layers are improved by 24% (from 3.84% to 4.76%) and 27% (from 5.91% to 7.50%) with the introduction of the WO3 (VO) anode buffer layer, respectively, compared to that of the conventional PEDOT:PSS layer. The excellent performance is ascribed to the greatly improved fill factor and enhanced short circuit current density of the devices, which are benefited from the surface with lots of VOs for better interfacial contact and excellent charge transport properties of the WO3 (VO) layer. The impressive PCE, good stability, easy fabrication and compatibility with solution processed organic photovoltaic devices support this material's potential applications in PSCs for both wide bandgap and narrow bandgap polymers.