Poly(o-phenylenediamine) and benzeneselenol copolymer fluorescent nanorod: An ultra-sensitive fluorescent probe and a fluorescent switch triggered by redox procedure

Poly(o-phenylenediamine) and benzeneselenol copolymer fluorescent nanorods were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal treatment and a novel, simple and ultra-sensitive oxidation–reduction fluorescent switch system was prepared based on these copolymer fluorescent nanorods. This switch system can be triggered by redox procedure. When this copolymer is oxidized by H 2 O 2 , the switch is “off”. The switch system is “on” when glutathione (GSH) is added. This switch system has good stability, excellent selectivity and specificity. What is more, the low detective limit indicates (detection limit: 10 −12   M) this switch system can be used as an ultra-sensitive fluorescent probe for H 2 O 2 or GSH. For the mechanism of switch processes, XPS results show the change of binding mode of Se in this copolymer is the main cause.