Synthesis and fluorescent pH sensing properties of nanoscale lanthanide metal-organic frameworks with silk fibroin powder as polymer ligands

• Novel nano-Ln-MOFs with silk fibroin powder as polymer ligands were successfully obtained.
• Different colors can be observed under UV through changing the lanthanide ions.
• They can be used as potential ratiometric fluorescent pH sensor for biomedical applications.

A series of novel nanoscale lanthanide metal-organic frameworks with silk fibroin powder as polymer ligands were successfully obtained and studied. The silk fibroin powder was first modificated by pyromellitic acid, and then coordinated to lanthanide ions. The size of the metal-organic frameworks can be designed to the range 190–1000 nm through adding different quality of lanthanide ions. The nanoscale materials have excellent photoluminescent properties and exhibit rapid response in detection of pondus hydrogenii. Especially at acidic conditions, the characteristic emission peaks of lanthanide ions are in linear relation with pondus hydrogenii and meet linear equation. This work not only provides an effective strategy for preparation of luminescent nanoscale metal-organic frameworks using biopolymer as ligands on a molecular level but also offers a way to prepare ratiometric fluorescent pondus hydrogenii sensor for biomedical applications.

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