A highly selective photoelectrochemical sensor based on click chemistry for copper (II) determination

•Photoelectrochemical sensor for Cu2 + detection was fabricated by click reaction.•Energy transfer between CdS QDs and Au NPs occured through this specific reaction.•Opened a simple and sensitive platform for PEC determination of metal ions.

A highly selective photoelectrochemical sensor was fabricated for the detection of Cu2 + ions based on the Cu+ catalyzed click reaction. Firstly, 11-Azido-3,6,9-trioxaundecan-1-amine was immobilized on the CdS modified ITO electrode by classic 1-Ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide reaction, then the propargyl-functionalized Au NPs were binding to electrode through the cycloaddition reaction between azides and alkynes, which catalyzed by Cu+ (acquired from the reduction of Cu2 + by ascorbic acid), making the Au NPs close to the CdS QDs. Upon light irradiation, energy transfer between the CdS QDs and Au NPs would lead to the decrease of photocurrent. Under optimized condition, the percentage of photocurrent decrement was linearly proportional to the concentration of Cu2 + ions, ranging from 1.0 × 10− 9 to 1.0 × 10− 6 M, with a detection limit of 2.0 × 10− 10 M, the novel strategy could provide a sensitive and selective platform for Cu2 + detection.