Synthesis of Fe-doped ZnCuInS/ZnS QDs and their potential as fluorescence ‘‘switch OFF” for 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP) detection

Nande Mgedle; Oluwatobi Samuel Oluwafemi

doi:10.1557/s43579-025-00887-7

Synthesis of Fe-doped ZnCuInS/ZnS QDs and their potential as fluorescence ‘‘switch OFF” for 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP) detection

Nande Mgedle
, Oluwatobi Samuel Oluwafemi

Chemical Sciences

University of Johannesburg

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We report the synthesis of Fe-shell-doped (ZnCuInS/FeZnS) quaternary quantum dots (QDs) via a simple and eco-friendly aqueous method as fluorescence "switch-off" probes for detecting 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water. The as-synthesised QDs were quasi-spherical with a size of 2.28 nm and showed enhanced absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and an average lifetime of 40.43 ns compared to core-doped and undoped QDs. These QDs detected TNP in contaminated deionized and river water with low detection limits of 23.83 mM and 47.91 mM, respectively, outperforming undoped QDs. This indicates their strong potential for TNP sensing in water samples.

Original language	English
Journal	MRS Communications
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-025-00887-7
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2025

Keywords

Chemical synthesis
Cost/cost-effective
Dopant
Environmentally benign
Optical properties
Quantum dots

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science

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10.1557/s43579-025-00887-7

Cite this

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title = "Synthesis of Fe-doped ZnCuInS/ZnS QDs and their potential as fluorescence {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}switch OFF” for 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP) detection",

abstract = "We report the synthesis of Fe-shell-doped (ZnCuInS/FeZnS) quaternary quantum dots (QDs) via a simple and eco-friendly aqueous method as fluorescence {"}switch-off{"} probes for detecting 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water. The as-synthesised QDs were quasi-spherical with a size of 2.28 nm and showed enhanced absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and an average lifetime of 40.43 ns compared to core-doped and undoped QDs. These QDs detected TNP in contaminated deionized and river water with low detection limits of 23.83 mM and 47.91 mM, respectively, outperforming undoped QDs. This indicates their strong potential for TNP sensing in water samples.",

keywords = "Chemical synthesis, Cost/cost-effective, Dopant, Environmentally benign, Optical properties, Quantum dots",

author = "Nande Mgedle and Oluwafemi, \{Oluwatobi Samuel\}",

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year = "2025",

doi = "10.1557/s43579-025-00887-7",

language = "English",

journal = "MRS Communications",

issn = "2159-6859",

publisher = "Springer International Publishing AG",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Synthesis of Fe-doped ZnCuInS/ZnS QDs and their potential as fluorescence ‘‘switch OFF” for 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP) detection

AU - Mgedle, Nande

AU - Oluwafemi, Oluwatobi Samuel

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Materials Research Society 2025.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - We report the synthesis of Fe-shell-doped (ZnCuInS/FeZnS) quaternary quantum dots (QDs) via a simple and eco-friendly aqueous method as fluorescence "switch-off" probes for detecting 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water. The as-synthesised QDs were quasi-spherical with a size of 2.28 nm and showed enhanced absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and an average lifetime of 40.43 ns compared to core-doped and undoped QDs. These QDs detected TNP in contaminated deionized and river water with low detection limits of 23.83 mM and 47.91 mM, respectively, outperforming undoped QDs. This indicates their strong potential for TNP sensing in water samples.

AB - We report the synthesis of Fe-shell-doped (ZnCuInS/FeZnS) quaternary quantum dots (QDs) via a simple and eco-friendly aqueous method as fluorescence "switch-off" probes for detecting 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water. The as-synthesised QDs were quasi-spherical with a size of 2.28 nm and showed enhanced absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and an average lifetime of 40.43 ns compared to core-doped and undoped QDs. These QDs detected TNP in contaminated deionized and river water with low detection limits of 23.83 mM and 47.91 mM, respectively, outperforming undoped QDs. This indicates their strong potential for TNP sensing in water samples.

KW - Chemical synthesis

KW - Cost/cost-effective

KW - Dopant

KW - Environmentally benign

KW - Optical properties

KW - Quantum dots

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022726983

U2 - 10.1557/s43579-025-00887-7

DO - 10.1557/s43579-025-00887-7

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105022726983

SN - 2159-6859

JO - MRS Communications

JF - MRS Communications

ER -

Synthesis of Fe-doped ZnCuInS/ZnS QDs and their potential as fluorescence ‘‘switch OFF” for 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP) detection

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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