Fluorescence lifetime-based pH sensing by platinum nanoclusters

In this work, we report for the first time the application of ultrasmall Pt nanoclusters (Pt NCs) as a fluorescence-lifetime-based pH sensor. The fluorescence properties of our prepared Pt NCs show strong pH dependence, due to the change of the surface states of Pt NCs under alkaline/acidic conditions. Interestingly, both the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence lifetime of Pt NCs exhibit a good linear relationship in the physiologically relevant pH range of 6.02–7.54. Our Pt NC-based pH sensor possesses many important features as an attractive sensor, including high anti-jamming capability, excellent stability and good reversibility. Moreover, the use of fluorescence lifetime as the optical readout signal rather than the intensity makes the present pH sensor more reliable in practical applications because the fluorescence lifetime is invariant to the probe concentration or changes in excitation conditions. Application of the Pt NC-based system for pH detection in real water samples and simulated intracellular environment samples has also been successfully demonstrated.