A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence sensor for the detection of l-cysteine based on the rhombus-shaped rubrene microsheets and platinum nanoparticles

We present a highly sensitive platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), rhombus-shaped rubrene microsheets (RubRMs) and dissolved oxygen (O2) system for the monitoring of l-cysteine by the quenched electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signals. Firstly, RubRMs has been prepared through reprecipitation method, then the metal organic composites of PtNPs-RubRMs was synthesized by a simple in situ reduction of PtNPs on RubRMs surface. The composites combined the high ECL characteristic of RubRMs, the wonderful catalytic efficiency and good electron transfer ability of PtNPs. With the synergistic effect between RubRMs and PtNPs, the proposed ECL sensors exhibited excellent responses for l-cysteine. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range was from 1.0 × 10−9 mol L-1 to 5.0 × 10-4 mol L-1 with a detection limit of 3.3 × 10-10 mol L-1 (S/N = 3). And the results shows high sensitivity, excellent stability, and low background signal. It is simple to prepare and operate for the practical application.