Ms. Ref. No.: TAL-D-19-02850
Title: Improving the properties of a gold nanoparticle barium sensor through mixed-ligand shells
Talanta
Dear Dr. Zeiri,
We have received expert review of your manuscript. You will see that revision of your manuscript is advised, and suggestions are offered for improving the manuscript and its impact. If you are prepared to undertake the work required, I would be pleased to consider the paper for publication in Talanta.
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Yours sincerely,
Jose Luis Burguera
Editor
Talanta
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Reviewers' comments:
Reviewer #1:
This work developed an improvement of gold nanoparticle colorimetric sensors using mixed-ligand shells composed of ligands with a shared affinity. The method is simple and effective. It is very interesting for colorimetric design . However, there are some issues that need to be further improved in this work. As the result, I recommend the paper for publication with some revisions as following.
1. I think the author should give a more detailed explanation on some experimental methods. The citrate has been contained in gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) solution, because of adding in AuNPs synthesis process. Why authors still researched citrate as one of ligand to combine with MUA and MSA in section 3.3? In addition, the particles stabilized by Cit-MUA mixtures of ligands displayed no reactivity towards Ba2+, but why the MUA mono-shelled particles displayed? I believe that MUA mono-shelled particles solution also contained citrate ingredient, because the authors did not treat AuNPs specially. Please give a detailed explanation for it in manuscript.
2. The author said "a cooperative effect between the MUA and MSA ligands", maybe what caused the cooperative effect between MUA and MSA ligands? What is the possible reason? I think the author should supplement the relevant mechanism.
3. The author should supplement relevant practical application research.
4. UV-vis absorbance spectra of MIX-NPs at different pH values cannot be used as a study to optimize pH. The effect of detecting Ba2+ ions should be studied at different pH values.
5. The error bars should be added to the data of figure.
6. More closed related publications can be used for improving the manuscript or used for strengthen the research background, for examples,
1) Blue-to-Red Colorimetric Sensing Strategy for Hg2+ and Ag+ via Redox-Regulated Surface Chemistry of Gold Nanoparticles, By: Lou, Tingting; et al. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Volume: 3 Issue: 5 Pages: 1568-1573 Published: MAY 2011
2) Fenton-like Reaction-Mediated Etching of Gold Nanorods for Visual Detection of Co2+, By: Zhang, Zhiyang; et al. LANGMUIR Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Pages: 643-650 Published: JAN 13 2015
3) Colorimetric Detection of Mercury Species Based on Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles, By: Chen, Ling; et al. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Volume: 6 Issue: 18 Pages: 15897-15904 Published: SEP 24 2014
4) "Turn-on" Fluorescence Detection of Lead Ions Based on Accelerated Leaching of Gold Nanoparticles on the Surface of Graphene, By: Fu, Xiuli; et al. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Pages: 1080-1086 Published: FEB 2012
5) Colorimetric Detection of Trace Copper Ions Based on Catalytic Leaching of Silver-Coated Gold Nanoparticles, By: Lou, Tingting; et al. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Volume: 3 Issue: 11 Pages: 4215-4220 Published: NOV 2011
6) Mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods: towards sensitive colorimetric sensing of ascorbic acid via target-induced silver overcoating, By: Wang, Guoqing; et al. NANOSCALE Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Pages: 1756-1759 Published: 2011
Reviewer #2:
This is a nice and original paper showing the synergistic effect of two ligands on nanoparticles to achieve efficient binding to an ion (Ba+). The paper clearly advances the field and should be rapidly published.
The control experiments are complete and the characterisation of the particles is satisfactory.
Keywords must be: Keywords: Mixed-ligand nanoparticles; Colorimetric sensing; Gold nanoparticles; Barium detection
Use mol L-1 instead of M.
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