Role of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer in Graphene-Based Nanomaterials for Sensing

Abstract

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based fluorescence sensing of various target analytes has been of growing interest in the environmental, bioimaging, and diagnosis fields. Graphene-based zero- (0D) to two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, such as graphene quantum dots (GQDs), graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and graphdiyne (GD), can potentially be employed as donors/acceptors in FRET-based sensing approaches because of their unique electronic and photoluminescent properties. In this review, we discuss the basics of FRET, as well as the role of graphene-based nanomaterials (GQDs, GO, rGO, and GD) for sensing various analytes, including cations, amino acids, explosives, pesticides, biomolecules, bacteria, and viruses. In addition, the graphene-based nanomaterial sensing strategy could be applied in environmental sample analyses, and the reason for the lower detection ranges (micro- to pico-molar concentration) could also be explained in detail. Challenges and future directions for designing nanomaterials with a new sensing approach and better sensing performance will also be highlighted.

FRET Based Biosensor: Principle Applications Recent Advances and Challenges

“…Sensitivity of FRET biosensors is also very high, often in the picomolar range, making them able to detect very low amounts of biomolecules, which is especially important for early detection of diseases or for detecting low levels of environmental pollutants. FRET biosensors are also highly versatile, as they can detect a wide range of biomolecules and changes in the environment, and can be used in a variety of applications, such as detecting protein–protein interactions, monitoring changes in pH, or measuring the activity of enzymes [ 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ]. There are some more important techniques that also play important roles in detection such as SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy), SPR (surface plasmon resonance), and electrochemical-based sensors.…”

Fluorescence Imaging Enhanced by Members of the Graphene Family: A Review

“…When it comes to GO, it is well established that GO can function as an efficient energy acceptor (EA) causing the quenching of fluorescence of a variety of energy donor organic fluorophores [29]. The benefits of using GO as an EA are multiple; the variety of functionalization possibilities its structure offers, the large number of binding sites as a result of its size, the high internalization to a wide range of cells, and the very effective energy transfer though a long distance [30] are some of them. In practice, the approach of employing GO, a fluorophore acting as the electron donor, and a functionality, factor, or molecule exhibiting specificity to a target analyte is widely used in many sensor and imaging attempts.…”

Sumanene–carbazole conjugate with push–pull structure and its chemoreceptor application

“…Tuning the properties of sumanene-tethered chromophore architectures can be achieved through methods like expanding the π-electron network, [11][12][13][14][15][16] heteroatom doping of the bowl, [17][18][19][20][21] or the formation of metal complexes. 22,23 There is continuous interest in designing efficient lightemitting compounds, [24][25][26][27][28][29][30] and one of the effective methods for tuning the optical properties of molecules is through the design of push-pull chromophores. These chromophores exhibit intramolecular charge-transfer properties through donor-acceptor interactions.…”