Tunable Chemiluminescence Kinetics with Hierarchically Structured HKUST-1 and Its Sensing Application for Concanavalin A Analysis

Introducing novel catalysts is essential for developing chemiluminescence (CL) systems that exhibit sustained and robust emission. Traditional Luminol-H₂O₂ systems typically feature flash-type CL emission. In this study, we discovered that the porous material HKUST-1 can induce a long-lasting and intense CL emission when combined with Luminol-H₂O₂. This long-term emission signal can be directly detected by the smartphone. By changing the calcination temperature, a series of microporous and hierarchically porous HKUST-1 materials were prepared as catalysts to adjust the kinetic characteristics of the CL signal of Luminol-H₂O₂ system from flash-type to glow-type. A systematic investigation into the influence of the central metal and ligand, aperture, and particle size of HKUST-1 on the CL kinetic properties revealed that the pore structure has the most pronounced impact on the dynamics of the Luminol-H₂O₂ CL reaction. Capitalizing on the intense emission of the HKUST-1-catalyzed Luminol-H₂O₂ system, we established a CL sandwich immunoassay strategy for concanavalin A (ConA), demonstrating good linearity and low detection limit. This research presents a significant endeavor in modulating the dynamics of CL signal emissions.