Dual-Functional Tris(2-phenylpyridine) Iridium Nanowires: Luminescent and Electrochemiluminescent Sensors

In this work, the nanowires from tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium(III) (Ir(ppy)(3)) have been prepared through a solvent evaporation procedure. The as-prepared nanowires are immobilized directly onto ITO glass surface. We found that, on the one hand, the Ir(ppy)3 nanowires can be employed as the phosphorescent sensor for detection of methylene blue and glucose. One the other hand, the nanowires also exhibit strong electrochemiluminescent emission in the presence of the co-reactant tripropylamine. It is then demonstrated that Ir(ppy)(3) nanowires can be employed as ECL sensors, chemically and biologically, for detection of methylene blue and glucose with a sensitivity of 2 orders of magnitudes higher than that of the luminescent sensor prepared using these nanowires. This work unambiguously demonstrates an application extension of the dual-functional, luminescent and electrochemiluminescent, nanostructured architectures of organic functional molecules.