Next Article in Journal
A Simple Benzo[d]thiazole-Based Schiff Base Probe for Selective Fluorometric Detection of Al3+ Ions: Validation Through DFT, Test Strips, Fish Pieces, Cellular Imaging, and Real Water Investigations
Previous Article in Journal
Voltammetric Fingerprinting and Chemometrics: A Rapid and Robust Platform for Ground Clove Bud Authentication and Adulteration Detection
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor Based on Core–Shell Structural Silica Nanoparticle for H2O2 Detection

1
Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
2
Shandong Key Laboratory of Advanced Glass Manufacturing and Technology, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
3
Shandong Technological Innovation Center for High-Value Development and Utilization of Bio-Health Food, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Chemosensors 2026, 14(4), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14040081
Submission received: 24 January 2026 / Revised: 11 March 2026 / Accepted: 20 March 2026 / Published: 1 April 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Applied Chemical Sensors)

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays a very vital role in industrial and biological processes, but its high concentration may cause health hazards. Therefore, accurate detection of H2O2 is crucial for chemical and biological sensing applications. In this work, a ratiometric fluorescent probe was developed using a core–shell structural silica nanoparticle for the detection of H2O2. Firstly, a silica core structure with red fluorescence emission was constructed by encapsulating a Schiff base compound (SD). Afterwards, a mesoporous silica shell was fabricated, and the AIE featured fluorophore with a H2O2 response character was covalently linked on the surface of the mesoporous shell layer. As recognition sites on the shell, blue-emitting TB molecules specifically identified H2O2 through their phenylboronic acid ester group. The blue fluorescence of core–shell structural nanoprobes would be quenched in the presence of H2O2, while red fluorescence remained unchanged, ensuring the high sensitivity and specificity of the ratio sensing. This design has demonstrated significant potential for the reliable monitoring of hydrogen peroxide in biological and environmental applications.

1. Introduction

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a key biological signaling molecule involved in cellular metabolism, immune response, signal transduction, and oxidative stress regulation [1,2]. The levels of H2O2 in living organisms are associated with various pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases [3,4]. In addition, H2O2 is widely used in various industries, including food processing, biomedicine, and textiles [5,6]. Excessive intake of H2O2 will cause human oxidative stress reaction and even lead to pneumonia, atherosclerosis, asthma, and other diseases [7]. Therefore, developing selective and sensitive H2O2 detection strategies is crucial in the areas of early disease diagnosis and safety monitoring.
Fluorescence-based detection has become a powerful method for H2O2 sensing due to its unique advantages with regard to speed, convenience, in situ recognition, and high sensitivity [8,9]. Among fluorescence methods, ratio fluorescence probes have been evidently superior to intensity-based fluorescence probes utilizing dual emission signals for self-calibration [10]. This strategy greatly reduces environmental interference factors such as sensor concentrations, turbidities, and light source intensities, which can heighten the accuracy and reliability of testing. Currently, a variety of H2O2 ratiometric fluorescence probes based on nanomaterials have been explored, for example, quantum dots [11,12], silica nanoparticles [13], nanoclusters [14], polymer nanoparticles [15], and upconversion nanoparticles [16]. These nanoprobes have achieved high sensitivity and visual monitoring of H2O2 in cells, food, and environmental samples, displaying broad prospects in various applications [17,18].
Silica nanoparticles are ideal carriers for fluorescence probes due to their steady framework, optical transparency, outstanding biocompatibility, and easy-to-modify surface [19,20,21]. Their silica frameworks or porous structures allow for the effective loading of functionalized fluorophore, and the material surface can also be decorated with recognition groups for the detection of specific analytes [22]. The ability to perform facile and multiple modifications of silica nanoparticles is a great advantage for the development of ratio fluorescent probes [23,24]. However, considering this solid-state material, the difficulty of aggregation-induced quenching (ACQ), which can diminish the detection efficiency of fluorescent probes, unavoidably arises during the fixation of traditional organic fluorescent groups on silica frameworks. This limitation has spurred the exploration of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens, which exhibit remarkable fluorescence enhancement under aggregation states [25,26,27]. The AIE effect, originating from restricted intramolecular motion (RIM), provides a robust solution to the ACQ problem [28,29,30]. In previous works, our group demonstrated that the solid framework of silica can restrict the intramolecular rotation of AIE molecules, leading to the improvement of their fluorescence efficiency [31,32]. In addition, the protective effect of the silica matrix can effectively improve the photostability of fluorescent groups and avoid photobleaching [33]. Therefore, the combination of AIE fluorophores with silica nanoparticles represents a promising platform for advanced fluorescent sensing [34,35].
Herein, we developed a novel ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe for H2O2 detection by integrating an AIE-featured H2O2-specific recognition molecule (TB) and a Schiff base compound (SD) into a silica-based core–shell architecture (SD-C@TB-S). Specifically, SD molecules are loaded into the interior of silica nanoparticles through co-doping reactions to obtain a red fluorescence core structure (SD-C). Further, mesoporous silica shell layers are grown on a silica nanoparticle core, and TB is modified on the shell surface through covalent bonding to obtain a blue fluorescence shell layer (TB-S). The core–shell design effectively combines the dual fluorescence of SD and TB, and fixing them in independent positions can effectively diminish their mutual influence and ensure the fluorescence response of TB (Figure 1). Upon exposure to H2O2, the blue fluorescence of TB is selectively quenched, while the red fluorescence of SD remains unchanged, enabling ratiometric quantification. This approach provides a versatile platform for future applications in biological imaging and environmental monitoring, demonstrating the potential of engineered silica nanoparticles for advanced sensing tools.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Chemicals and Reagents

The following chemicals and reagents were sourced from commercial suppliers: 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), aqueous ammonia, N-β-(aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (TSD), diaminomaleonitrile, and 4-(diethylamino)salicylaldehyde were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), anhydrous ethanol, acetone, and hydrogen peroxide (30%) were obtained from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was purchased from Macklin Biochemical Company (Shanghai, China). Anhydrous diethyl ether, glacial acetic acid, and toluene were procured from Tianjin Fuyu Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. (Tianjin, China). Methanol was provided by Aladdin Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China). 4-[phenyl(4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl) amino]benzaldehyde (TB), employed as the target recognition compound, was custom-synthesized through the Science Guide Platform.

2.2. Synthesis

2.2.1. Synthesis of Schiff Base Derivative (SD)

The Schiff base derivative (SD) was prepared as follows: Diaminomaleonitrile (0.54 g, 5.0 mmol) and 4-(diethylamino)salicylaldehyde (2.03 g, 10.5 mmol) were dissolved in 100 mL of ethanol. Two drops of glacial acetic acid were added dropwise, and the resulting mixture was refluxed at 80 °C for 12 h. Upon completion of the reaction, the solid product was collected by vacuum filtration and thoroughly washed with ethanol to obtain SD as a deep purple solid. It is worth noting that SD containing the maleonitrile C=C double bond might have cis- and trans-isomers [36,37]. According to previous reports, the isomers displayed similar photophysical characteristics and might undergo interconversion upon irradiation with UV or visible light. Based on 1H NMR data, the synthesized SD was speculated to have a cis structure [36]. The 1H NMR spectrum of SD is shown in Figure S1: (400 MHz, CDCl3, δ): 12.85 (s, 2H), 8.49 (s, 2H), 7.20 (d, 2H), 6.34 (m, 4H), 3.43 (m, 8H), 1.23 (t, 12H). 13C NMR (101 MHz, CDCl3, δ) 164.49, 161.92, 153.67, 135.59, 121.80, 112.63, 109.75, 98.01, 45.03, 12.70 (Figure S2). MS (ESI) calcd for SD [M + H]+, 459.24; found 459.3 (Figure S3).

2.2.2. Synthesis of Amino-Functionalized Silica Nanoparticle Cores (SD-C)

Solution A was prepared by dissolving 100 mg of SD in a mixture of 2 mL TEOS and 18 mL anhydrous ethanol. Solution B was prepared by combining 10 mL aqueous ammonia (25–28 wt%) and 30 mL anhydrous ethanol. Solution C was formulated by mixing 0.3 mL TSD and 4 mL anhydrous ethanol. A total of 2.5 mL solution A was added dropwise to solution B at room temperature, followed by vigorous stirring for 10 min. After that, solution C and 2 mL TEOS were introduced dropwise into the reaction mixture, and the mixture was then stirred continuously for 2 h. Finally, the reaction product was isolated by centrifugation, washed repeatedly with ethanol to remove residual reactants, and dried to yield the solid product, designated as SD-C.

2.2.3. Construction of Silica Core–Shell Structure (SD-C@S)

The silica core–shell structure was prepared as follows. A total of 30 mg SD-C was dispersed in 1 mL anhydrous ethanol and sonicated for 15 min to dispersion. Additionally, 0.1 g CTAB was dissolved in a mixture of 0.2 mL aqueous ammonia and 18 mL deionized water and stirred until a clear solution was obtained. Subsequently, 4 mL ethanol and 3.5 mL diethyl ether, pre-dispersed SD-C, and 0.5 mL TEOS were added to the solution sequentially, with each addition followed by 15 min of stirring. The final mixture was then stirred for 2 h. After reaction completion, the product was isolated by centrifugation, thoroughly washed with ethanol, and dried at room temperature for 24 h to yield the silica core–shell structure (SD-C@S).

2.2.4. Construction of SD-C@TB-S Ratio Fluorescent Probe

To prepare the AIE-active silica core–shell material (SD-C@TB-S), 0.2 g TB and 0.13 mL APTES were mixed in 10 mL anhydrous ethanol and stirred at room temperature for 4 h. The resulting mixture was concentrated by rotary evaporation to a final volume of approximately 5 mL and stored for subsequent use. Next, 100 mg SD-C@S and 0.3 mL of the above-mentioned solution were dispersed in 6 mL of anhydrous ethanol and stirred at room temperature for 3 h. The resulting suspension was then subjected to rotary evaporation to yield a solid residue, which was thoroughly washed with ethanol and dried to obtain a silica core–shell material exhibiting AIE properties, designated as SD-C@TB-S.

2.3. H2O2 Response Measurements

For fluorescence tests of SD-C@TB-S with different H2O2 concentrations, SD-C@TB-S was dispersed in a THF/water (9:1, v/v) mixture and reacted with varying concentrations of H2O2 for 30 min. Then, the fluorescence spectra were collected. For fluorescence selectivity experiments, solutions of various interfering substances with identical concentration (0.25 mM) were prepared. After incubation for 30 min, the fluorescence ratio changes (ΔFt/Fs) were measured sequentially for each sample. ΔFt was the initial emission intensity of Ft minus the intensity after reacting with H2O2.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Structural Properties

In this study, core–shell structured silica nanoparticles were constructed step by step, in which two distinct fluorescent groups were modified on the different structural layers. First, the SD-C core with the red fluorescence emission property was synthesized by embedding SD groups into the silica matrix through the co-doping method, wherein SD was synthesized through reported methods. The FT-IR spectrum of SD was measured (Figure S4). The characteristic absorption peaks of υ-OH, υC≡N, and υC=N for the SD molecule were found in 3414 cm−1, 2209 cm−1, and 1633 cm−1, respectively. The skeletal vibration of aromatic rings was also observed around 1450–1560 cm−1. Then, the mesoporous silica shell was constructed based on the SD-C, and TB molecules with AIE features were modified on the surface of the shell via covalent bonding to obtain SD-C@TB-S. TB molecules have excellent sensing performance for H2O2 due to its phenylboronic acid pinal ester group, which has been proved in previous reports [38]. The structural and morphological characteristics of SD-C and SD-C@TB-S were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As shown in the SEM image in Figure 2a, SD-C presented a spherical shape with uniform size and smooth surface. The size of the SD-C was approximately 500–600 nm. Similarly, SD-C also exhibited homogeneous morphology in the TEM image (Figure 2b). After growing the shell layer, SEM measurement showed that the sizes of SD-C@TB-S particles had significantly increased, and gaps on the surfaces could be observed, caused by the porous structure of the TB-S shell (Figure 2c). More in-depth observations of the characteristics of the core–shell structure could be achieved through TEM images. As illustrated in Figure 2d, the core–shell structure of SD-C@TB-S could be clearly identified, comprising a solid SD-C core coated by a mesoporous silica shell featuring radially oriented mesochannels. The results confirmed the successful synthesis of the silica core–shell structures.

3.2. Fluorescence Properties

In the synthesized SD-C@TB-S, the SD fluorophore with red fluorescence was embedded within the silica core as the reference fluorescent unit; meanwhile, the TB functional group emitting blue fluorescence was anchored onto the outer shell structure as the fluorescence recognition unit. The optical properties of SD and TB were first investigated. As a H2O2-responsive moiety, the TB molecules exhibited pronounced AIE characteristics, effectively mitigating the ACQ effect in solid-state sensors. As illustrated in Figure 3, the AIE behavior of TB molecules was investigated in H2O/ethanol mixtures with varying water contents. Figure 3a presents the fluorescence spectra of these mixtures at different water fractions. At low water fractions, TB molecules exhibited almost no fluorescence. However, as the proportion of the poor solvent (water) increased, the TB molecules began to aggregate, resulting in a pronounced enhancement of fluorescence intensity when the water volume fraction exceeds 60%. The strongest emission of TB was observed at a water content of 80%. The corresponding relationship between fluorescence intensity and water content also confirmed this trend (Figure 3b). Moreover, photos of TB solution showed that when the water content reached 60%, there was a significant aggregation phenomenon accompanied by strong blue fluorescence emission. The above results suggest that TB has typical AIE properties. Nevertheless, the optical characteristics of SD were opposite to those of TB. As illustrated in Figure S5, the maximum fluorescence intensity of SD was exhibited in good solvent (ethanol). As the water content increased, the fluorescence intensities of SD gradually decreased. As shown in Figure S5b, the SD solution displayed significant fluorescence intensity decrease with 40% water content.
This study employed an ingenious core–shell structural design to immobilize TB and SD onto the shell and core of silica particles, respectively. As shown in Figure 4, the fluorescence spectrum of the TB exhibited an emission peak at 473 nm, whereas the SD displayed a red fluorescence emission peak at 604 nm. Upon synthesizing the SD-C@TB-S core–shell nanoparticles, both TB and SD retain their characteristic emission peaks within this architecture, thereby establishing ratiometric fluorescence. TB exhibited the blue shift phenomenon after modification on the silica particle surface, which might be caused by the fixation and change in the surrounding environment of the TB due to the silica framework [31,39]. It is noteworthy that fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between TB and SD would lead to the fluorescence quenching of TB. The core–shell architecture effectively enforced a spatial separation between the two fluorophores, thereby preventing FRET and ensuring the reliability of the ratiometric fluorescence response of the probe.

3.3. Sensing Performance

The ratio sensing strategy of SD-C@TB-S was realized through the use of TB as a recognition unit and SD as a reference unit. As the fluorescence responder of the SD-C@TB-S probe, the molecular structure of TB combined the AIE activity of triphenylamine groups and the H2O2 selective reactivity of boronic groups [38,40]. In the presence of H2O2, the TB molecules on the SD-C@TB-S shell underwent a peroxide-mediated aryl-boronated moiety cleavage reaction, producing phenol groups and consequently quenching the blue fluorescence (Figure 5a). During this process, the red fluorescence of the referenced SD was unaffected, achieving the ratio sensing of H2O2. The results of the changes in fluorescence intensity over the H2O2 concentration are presented in Figure 5b. The blue fluorescence intensity of TB (Ft) exhibited a noticeable decrease even at a low H2O2 concentration of 0.05 mM. As the concentration of H2O2 increased, Ft continuously decreased, and the decrease rate slowed down when the H2O2 concentration exceeded 0.4 mM. By comparison, the red fluorescence intensity of SD (Fs) as a ratio reference remained almost unchanged throughout the entire experimental process. These results indicate that SD-C@TB-S could be used as a ratio fluorescent probe for the accurate detection of H2O2.
As instructed in Figure 5c, the fluorescence ratio (Ft/Fs) of SD-C@TB-S decreased linearly as the H2O2 concentrations were increased from 0 to 0.5 mM. The fluorescence ratio of SD-C@TB-S was linearly related to the concentration of H2O2. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated using the formula of 3σ/s (where σ represents the standard deviation of blank measurements, and s represents the slope of the calibration curve). The result shows that the LOD of SD-C@TB-S for H2O2 was 8 μM, suggesting that the silica nanoparticle has high sensitivity for H2O2 detection. In addition, the time-dependent fluorescence ratio changes for SD-C@TB-S after reacting with H2O2 were investigated. As shown in Figure S6, the fluorescence ratio (Ft/Fs) of the SD-C@TB-S gradually decreased within the initial 20 min at a H2O2 concentration of 0.5 mM. After 20 min, the ratio of the SD-C@TB-S decreased slowly and tended to remain unchanged at 30 min. Based on this time-dependent fluorescence response characteristic, the optimal detection time for H2O2 was established at 30 min.
In addition, the selective sensing capability of the SD-C@TB-S nanosensor was tested. The fluorescent ratio changes in the SD-C@TB-S probes were measured by adding diverse interfering substances (0.25 mM) to the probe solution. As shown in Figure 5d, the fluorescence ratio changes (ΔFt/Fs) in the presence of acetone, toluene, methanol, ethanol, ROO’, ⋅OH, CO32−, NO3, and SO42− were similar to those in the blank control group. However, a noticeable variation in the fluorescence ratio was exhibited after the addition of H2O2. The above results suggest that the core–shell silica nanoprobe demonstrated outstanding sensitivity and selectivity in detecting H2O2, making it a promising candidate for chemical and biological sensing applications.
Moreover, H2O2 serves as an important indicator in the realm of food safety. Hence, the practical applicability of SD-C@TB-S in sensing was investigated through real-sample analyses using milk. Milk samples with various concentrations of H2O2 were prepared to evaluate the detectability and accuracy of SD-C@TB-S. The fluorescence ratio changes of the SD-C@TB-S in milks caused by the addition of H2O2 were used to estimate the concentration, and the results were compared with known values. As shown in Table 1, the recovery rates of milk at different concentrations range from 101.7% to 112.4%, and most of the relative standard deviations are less than 10%. These results validate the high practicability of the SD-C@TB-S sensor for the accurate detection of H2O2.

4. Conclusions

In summary, a ratiometric fluorescence sensor was successfully fabricated using a core–shell structure with silica nanoparticles. During material construction, Schiff base compounds with red emission were encapsulated in the silica cores as reference units, while blue-emitting AIE molecules with H2O2-responsive function were modified on the surface of the mesoporous shell as recognition units. The core–shell structure effectively reduces interference between two fluorescent groups, enabling an independent fluorescence response. The probe exhibited excellent performance in H2O2 sensing, with blue fluorescence quenching proportionally to the H2O2 concentration, while red fluorescence remained unchanged, reaching an LOD of 8 μM. These ratiometric silica nanoparticles provide powerful tools for real-time H2O2 detection and are very promising candidates for use in chemical and biological sensors in practical applications.

Supplementary Materials

The following supporting information can be downloaded at https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/chemosensors14040081/s1: Figure S1: 1H NMR spectrum of SD; Figure S2: 13C NMR spectrum of SD; Figure S3: MS spectrum of SD; Figure S4: FT-IR spectrum of SD; Figure S5: Fluorescence spectra (a) and relative fluorescence intensity (b) of SD molecules in H2O/ethanol mixtures with varying compositions, along with photographs under UV illumination; Figure S6: (a) Fluorescence emission spectra of SD-C@TB-S after adding H2O2 (0.5 mM); (b) time-dependent fluorescence ratio of SD-C@TB-S film in response to H2O2.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, M.G.; methodology, M.G. and X.S.; software, X.A.; validation, X.Z. and X.A.; formal analysis, X.Z. and X.A.; investigation, X.S. and X.A.; resources, M.G.; data curation, X.S. and X.A.; writing—original draft preparation, X.S. and X.Z.; writing—review and editing, M.G.; visualization, X.S.; supervision, M.G.; project administration, M.G.; funding acquisition, M.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, grant numbers 22375110, 22005160, and 52302044; the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, grant number ZR2025MS161; and the Major Innovation Project of Shandong Technological Innovation Center for High-Value Development and Utilization of Bio-Health Food, grant number SDJSZX2025ZDRWO06.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Materials. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

  1. Hu, X.; Liu, J.; Jin, H.; Huang, F.; Wang, Z.; Wang, F.; Dai, Z. Ultrasensitive determination of intracellular hydrogen peroxide by equipping quantum dots with a sensing layer via self-passivation. Nano Res. 2022, 15, 4350–4356. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Zan, Q.; Zhao, K.; Li, R.; Yang, Y.; Yang, X.; Li, W.; Zhang, G.; Dong, C.; Shuang, S.; Fan, L. Mitochondria-Targetable Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Visualization of Hydrogen Peroxide in Lung Injury, Liver Injury, and Tumor Models. Anal. Chem. 2024, 96, 10488–10495. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  3. Zhu, X.; Chen, X.; Liu, H.; Sun, B. Amino-Acid-Encoded Supramolecular Self-Assembly Architectures: Near-Infrared Fluorescence–Photothermal Temperature Dual-Signal Sensing of Hydrogen Peroxide. ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2024, 12, 4803–4812. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Chen, P.-C.; Kirankumar, R.; Lin, P.-Y.; Chuang, Z.-W.; Hsieh, S. Perovskite nanowire-based electrochemical sensing for selective and rapid detection of hydrogen peroxide. J. Alloys. Compd. 2024, 1002, 175320. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Yang, L.; Fu, Z.; Xie, J.; Ding, Z. Portable sensing of hydrogen peroxide using MOF-based nanozymes. Food Res. Int. 2024, 197, 115272. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  6. Liu, S.G.; Liu, S.; Yang, S.; Zhao, Q.; Deng, J.; Shi, X. A facile fluorescent sensing strategy for determination of hydrogen peroxide in foods using a nanohybrid of nanoceria and carbon dots based on the target-promoted electron transfer. Sens. Actuators B Chem. 2022, 356, 131325. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Ding, Z.; He, X.; Huang, J.; Zhang, R.; Song, Y.; Yang, H. A Turn-On Fluorescence Probe for Rapidly Sensing Exogenous and Endogenous Hydrogen Peroxide in Living Cells. ChemistrySelect 2025, 10, e202405541. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Peter, J.J.; Roy, N.C.; Grynszpan, F.; Levine, M. Ultrasensitive and versatile hydrogen peroxide sensing via fluorescence quenching. Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 10152–10155. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  9. Fan, S.; Lai, J.; Burn, P.L.; Shaw, P.E. Solid-State Fluorescence-based Sensing of TATP via Hydrogen Peroxide Detection. ACS Sens. 2019, 4, 134–142. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  10. Xin, H.; Cao, S.; Yang, G.; Huang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, K.-N.; Cao, D. A ratiometric fluorescent probe for monitoring trace hydrogen peroxide in food and living cell mitochondria. Sens. Actuators B Chem. 2024, 418, 136311. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Gui, L.; Teng, X.; Yang, Y.; Liu, T.; Liang, Y.; Zeng, J.; Zhang, X.; Li, L. Real-time monitoring and multicolor visual analysis of hydrogen peroxide based on antenna effect-induced dual signal amplification strategy. Sens. Actuators B Chem. 2025, 432, 137486. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  12. Zheng, B.; Wang, S.; Huang, L.; Xu, J.; Luo, Y.; Zhao, S. A hydrogen peroxide activated near-infrared ratiometric fluorescent probe for ratio imaging in vivo. Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 13770–13773. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  13. Lu, H.; Yu, C.; Quan, S.; Xu, S. A novel dual response ratiometric fluorescent probe for the determination of H2O2 and glucose via etching of silver nanoparticles. Analyst 2019, 144, 1153–1158. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  14. Li, Z.; Guo, S.; Yuan, Z.; Lu, C. Carbon quantum dot-gold nanocluster nanosatellite for ratiometric fluorescence probe and imaging for hydrogen peroxide in living cells. Sens. Actuators B Chem. 2017, 241, 821–827. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  15. Ai, M.; Jiang, Y.; Xiao, Z.; Liu, J.; Liu, C. Ratiometric luminescence detection of H2O2 in food samples using a terbium coordination polymer sensitized with 3-carboxyphenylboronic acid. Spectrochim. Acta Part A Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 2024, 313, 124114. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  16. Wang, H.; Li, Y.; Yang, M.; Wang, P.; Gu, Y. FRET-Based Upconversion Nanoprobe Sensitized by Nd3+ for the Ratiometric Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide in Vivo. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2019, 11, 7441–7449. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  17. Ledesma, F.; Nishitani, S.; Cunningham, F.J.; Hubbard, J.D.; Yim, D.; Lui, A.; Chio, L.; Murali, A.; Landry, M.P. Covalent Attachment of Horseradish Peroxidase to Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Hydrogen Peroxide Detection. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2316028. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  18. Sun, Y.; Xu, L.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, J.; Gao, M.; Xu, G. Fluorescent nanosensors for the detection of hydrogen peroxide: Materials, design strategies and applications. Dye. Pigment. 2025, 235, 112592. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  19. Song, B.; He, Y. Fluorescent silicon nanomaterials: From synthesis to functionalization and application. Nano Today 2019, 26, 149–163. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  20. Lin, R.; Zhao, T.; Chen, L.; Liu, M.; Yu, H.; Wang, R.; Yuan, M.; Li, X.; Zhao, D. Amphipathicity mediated endocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with tunable frameworks. Nano Res. 2024, 17, 8350–8359. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. Xu, L.; Jiang, X.; Liang, K.; Gao, M.; Kong, B. Frontier luminous strategy of functional silica nanohybrids in sensing and bioimaging: From ACQ to AIE. Aggregate 2022, 3, e121. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  22. Gao, M.; Zeng, J.; Liang, K.; Zhao, D.; Kong, B. Interfacial Assembly of Mesoporous Silica-Based Optical Heterostructures for Sensing Applications. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 1906950. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Feng, Y.; Liao, Z.; Li, M.; Zhang, H.; Li, T.; Qin, X.; Li, S.; Wu, C.; You, F.; Liao, X.; et al. Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles-Based Nanoplatforms: Basic Construction, Current State, and Emerging Applications in Anticancer Therapeutics. Adv. Health Mater. 2023, 12, 2201884. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  24. Yang, L.; Li, N.; Pan, W.; Yu, Z.; Tang, B. Real-Time Imaging of Mitochondrial Hydrogen Peroxide and pH Fluctuations in Living Cells Using a Fluorescent Nanosensor. Anal. Chem. 2015, 87, 3678–3684. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  25. Zhu, F.-Y.; Mei, L.-J.; Tian, R.; Li, C.; Wang, Y.-L.; Xiang, S.-L.; Zhu, M.-Q.; Tang, B.Z. Recent advances in super-resolution optical imaging based on aggregation-induced emission. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2024, 53, 3350–3383. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  26. Wu, Q.; Li, Y.; Li, Y.; Wang, D.; Tang, B.Z. Hydrogen peroxide-responsive AIE probe for imaging-guided organelle targeting and photodynamic cancer cell ablation. Mater. Chem. Front. 2021, 5, 3489–3496. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Zhu, Y.; Zhang, R.; Cai, X.; Zhang, L.; Wu, B.; Tan, H.; Zhou, K.; Wang, H.; Liu, Y.; Luo, Y.; et al. Acceptor Elongation Boosted Intersystem Crossing Affords Efficient NIR Type-I and AIE-Active Photosensitizers for Targeting Ferroptosis-Based Cancer Therapy. Adv. Health Mater. 2025, 14, 2404505. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Assiri, M.A.; Munir, F.; Waseem, M.T.; Irshad, H.; Rauf, W.; Shahzad, S.A. Restricted intramolecular vibrations assisted enhanced fluorescence emission response of probe: A new experimental and theoretical approach for the detection of hydrogen peroxide. Microchem. J. 2023, 193, 109220. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  29. Xu, C.; Zou, H.; Zhao, Z.; Zhang, P.; Kwok, R.T.K.; Lam, J.W.Y.; Sung, H.H.Y.; Williams, I.D.; Tang, B.Z. A New Strategy toward “Simple” Water-Soluble AIE Probes for Hypoxia Detection. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2019, 29, 1903278. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  30. Li, D.; Yu, J. AIEgens-Functionalized Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Materials: Fabrications and Applications. Small 2016, 12, 6478–6494. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Gao, M.; Han, S.; Hu, Y.; Zhang, L.J. Enhanced Fluorescence in Tetraylnitrilomethylidyne-Hexaphenyl Derivative-Functionalized Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas for Sensitive Detection of Copper(II). J. Phys. Chem. C 2016, 120, 9299–9307. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  32. Gao, M.; Xu, G.; Zhang, R.; Liu, Z.; Xia, H.; Shao, B.; Xue, C.; Li, J.; Miao, S.; Fu, W.; et al. Electrospinning Superassembled Mesoporous AIEgen-Organosilica Frameworks Featuring Diversified Forms and Superstability for Wearable and Washable Solid-State Fluorescence Smart Sensors. Anal. Chem. 2021, 93, 2367–2376. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  33. Liu, Y.; Tao, Y.; An, X.; Jiang, X.; Li, D.; Xu, Q.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, J.; Xu, L.; Gao, M. High dispersibility ratiometric fluorescence sensor designed by functionalized mesoporous silica nanopraticles for sensing and imaging of hydrogen peroxide. Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp. 2024, 683, 132971. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  34. Liu, W.; Liu, Q.; Wang, D.; Tang, B.Z. Fluorescent Porous Materials Based on Aggregation-induced Emission for Biomedical Applications. ACS Nano 2024, 18, 27206–27229. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Cheng, Y.; Yin, X.; Kukkar, D.; Wang, J.; Kim, K.-H.; Zhang, D. Aggregation-induced emission-based luminescent porous materials as cutting-edge tools for food safety monitoring. TrAC Trends Anal. Chem. 2024, 180, 117945. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  36. Cheng, J.; Wei, K.; Ma, X.; Zhou, X.; Xiang, H. Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Colorful Salen-Type SchiffBases. J. Phys. Chem. C 2013, 117, 16552. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  37. Cheng, J.; Ma, X.; Zhang, Y.; Liu, J.; Zhou, X.; Xiang, H. Optical Chemosensors Based on Transmetalation of Salen-Based Schiff Base Complexes. Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 3210. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  38. Fu, Y.; Yao, J.J.; Xu, W.; Fan, T.; Jiao, Z.; He, Q.; Zhu, D.; Cao, H.; Cheng, J. Schiff Base Substituent-Triggered Efficient Deboration Reaction and Its Application in Highly Sensitive Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor Detection. Anal. Chem. 2016, 88, 5507–5512. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  39. Goto, Y.; Mizoshita, N.; Ohtani, O.; Okada, T.; Shimada, T.; Tani, T.; Inagaki, S. Synthesis of Mesoporous Aromatic Silica Thin Films and Their Optical Properties. Chem. Mater. 2008, 20, 4495–4498. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Yuan, L.; Lin, W.; Xie, Y.; Chen, B.; Zhu, S. Single Fluorescent Probe Responds to H2O2, NO, and H2O2/NO with Three Different Sets of Fluorescence Signals. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 1305–1315. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Figure 1. Synthesis process of ratio fluorescent probe based on core–shell structural silica nanoparticles.
Figure 1. Synthesis process of ratio fluorescent probe based on core–shell structural silica nanoparticles.
Chemosensors 14 00081 g001
Figure 2. SEM image (a) and TEM image (b) of SD-C, and SEM image (c) and TEM image (d) of SD-C@TB-S.
Figure 2. SEM image (a) and TEM image (b) of SD-C, and SEM image (c) and TEM image (d) of SD-C@TB-S.
Chemosensors 14 00081 g002
Figure 3. Fluorescence spectra (a) and relative fluorescence intensities (b) of TB molecules in H2O/ethanol mixtures with varying compositions, along with photographs under UV illumination.
Figure 3. Fluorescence spectra (a) and relative fluorescence intensities (b) of TB molecules in H2O/ethanol mixtures with varying compositions, along with photographs under UV illumination.
Chemosensors 14 00081 g003
Figure 4. Fluorescence emission spectra of SD-C@TB-S, TB, and SD.
Figure 4. Fluorescence emission spectra of SD-C@TB-S, TB, and SD.
Chemosensors 14 00081 g004
Figure 5. (a) The ratio fluorescence sensing principle of SD-C@TB-S for H2O2. (b) Fluorescence spectra of SD-C@TB-S corresponding to different H2O2 concentrations. (c) Linear relationship between the fluorescence ratio Ft/Fs of SD-C@TB-S and the concentration of H2O2 (0–0.5 mM). (d) The fluorescence ratio changes in SD-C@TB-S corresponding to different substances.
Figure 5. (a) The ratio fluorescence sensing principle of SD-C@TB-S for H2O2. (b) Fluorescence spectra of SD-C@TB-S corresponding to different H2O2 concentrations. (c) Linear relationship between the fluorescence ratio Ft/Fs of SD-C@TB-S and the concentration of H2O2 (0–0.5 mM). (d) The fluorescence ratio changes in SD-C@TB-S corresponding to different substances.
Chemosensors 14 00081 g005
Table 1. Determination of H2O2 in drink samples.
Table 1. Determination of H2O2 in drink samples.
Added Concentration
(mmol/L)
Discovery Concentration
(mmol/L)
Recovery
(%)
Relative Standard Deviation (%)
0.100.091112.49.20
0.200.219109.50.80
0.300.323107.92.97
0.400.407101.73.10
0.500.526105.22.13
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Shi, X.; Zhao, X.; An, X.; Gao, M. Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor Based on Core–Shell Structural Silica Nanoparticle for H2O2 Detection. Chemosensors 2026, 14, 81. https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14040081

AMA Style

Shi X, Zhao X, An X, Gao M. Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor Based on Core–Shell Structural Silica Nanoparticle for H2O2 Detection. Chemosensors. 2026; 14(4):81. https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14040081

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shi, Xinhua, Xinru Zhao, Xiaofan An, and Meng Gao. 2026. "Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor Based on Core–Shell Structural Silica Nanoparticle for H2O2 Detection" Chemosensors 14, no. 4: 81. https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14040081

APA Style

Shi, X., Zhao, X., An, X., & Gao, M. (2026). Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor Based on Core–Shell Structural Silica Nanoparticle for H2O2 Detection. Chemosensors, 14(4), 81. https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14040081

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop