Unlocking the full power of electrochemical fingerprinting for on-site sensing applications.

Electrochemical sensing for the semi-quantitative detection of biomarkers, drugs, environmental contaminants, food additives, etc. shows promising results in point-of-care diagnostics and on-site monitoring. More specifically, electrochemical fingerprint (EF)-based sensing strategies are considered an inviting approach for the on-site detection of low molecular weight molecules. The fast growth of electrochemical sensors requires defining the concept of direct electrochemical fingerprinting in sensing. The EF can be defined as the unique electrochemical signal or pattern, mostly recorded by voltammetric techniques, specific for a certain molecule that can be used for its quantitative or semi-quantitative identification in a given analytical context with specified circumstances. The performance of EF-based sensors can be enhanced by considering multiple features of the signal (i.e., oxidation or reduction patterns), in combination with statistical data analysis or sample pretreatments or by including electrode surface modifiers to enrich the EF. In this manuscript, some examples of EF-based sensors, strategies to improve their performances, and open challenges are discussed to unlock the full power of electrochemical fingerprinting for on-site sensing applications. Graphical abstract Electrochemical fingerprint-based sensing strategies can be used for the detection of electroactive analytes, such as antibiotics, phenolic compounds, and drugs of abuse. These strategies show selective and sensitive responses and are easily combined with portable devices.

Optical nanoheater based on the Yb3+-Er3+ co-doped nanoparticles.

Yb(3+)-Er(3+) co-doped fluoride nanoparticles have been prepared. When pumped by 975 nm laser diode into absorption band of Yb(3+), the laser-induced temperature rise up to 800 degrees C has been detected in the nanoparticles by measuring the ratio of the intensities of the thermalised up-conversion luminescence bands (2)H(11/2)-->(4)I(15/2) and (4)S(3/2)-->(4)I(15/2) of Er(3+). These results show that a controlled optical heating of the nanoparticles and their surrounding nano-volumes can be realised, while the location and temperature rise of the nanoparticles and heated nano-volumes can be detected distantly by means of luminescence.

Broadband telecommunication wavelength emission in Yb(3+)-Er(3+)-Tm(3+) co-doped nano-glassceramics.

Transparent Yb(3+), Er(3+) and Tm(3+) co-doped nano-glass-ceramics 3(SiO(2)2)9(AlO(1.5))31.5(CdF(2))18.5(PbF(2))5.5(ZnF(2)):3.5(Yb-Er-TmF(3)), mol%, have been prepared where co-dopants mostly partition in nano-crystals Pb(1-x) (Yb(3+),Er(3+),Tm(3+))(x)F(2+x) embedded in the glass network. The Yb(3+) ensures high absorption at 980 nm telecommunication pump wavelength and further phonon-mediated energy transfer to Er(3+) and Tm(3+) co-dopants. Er(3+) and Tm(3+) radiate overlapping emission bands from their lowest energy levels, with similar lifetime of about 9 ms, which cover the range between 1.50 to 1.70 mum. The lifetime of all higher levels of Er(3+) and Tm(3+) dopants is shorter than 70 mus due to short inter-dopant distances in the nano-crystals resulting in fast energy transfer to their lowest levels.

Probing the magnetic anisotropy of lanthanide-containing metallomesogens by luminescence spectroscopy.

The alignment of liquid crystals through magnetism demands a high value of the magnetic anisotropy. The magnitude of the anisotropy for a series of isostructural lanthanide-containing metallomesogens can be estimated on basis of the crystal-field splitting of the (7)F1 multiplet in the corresponding europium(III) compounds. A method to rapidly measure this splitting value is accessible through photoluminescence measurements.