The pH-switchable agglomeration and dispersion behavior of fluorescent Ag nanoclusters and its applications in urea and glucose biosensing

Novel fluorescent Ag nanoclusters are prepared based on an etching method with citrate and GSH as the stabilizer of Ag nanocrystals and the etchant. The as-prepared Ag nanoclusters show good pH-switchable agglomeration and dispersion accompanied with the reversible agglomeration induced signal quenching. The pH-regulated behavior mechanism has been discussed, and the Ag nanoclusters is introduced as a probe to establish regenerable biosensing platform for urea and glucose detection.