Aggregation emission of AuNCs induced by chitosan self-assembled multilayers and sensitive sensing for water content in ethanol

AuNCs with chemical groups such as –NH2 and –COOH were synthesized using glutathione as the stabilizer and reducing agent. The aggregation emission of AuNCs in solution-induced self-assembled multilayers (SAMs) were first studied. Scanning electron microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance were used to characterize the morphology and aggregation process of AuNCs. Further AuNC SAMs were used for the solid–liquid interface sensing of water content in ethanol, and the sensitivity is obviously improved as compared with that in the pure solution phase. This aggregation emission induced by SAMs would have a good application prospect in analysis.