Rapid and cost-effective colorimetric detection of Ytterbium (Yb3+) ion using catechol-derived gold nanoparticles

A label-free, rapid colorimetric detection system utilizing catechol-derived gold nanoparticles (cAuNPs) has been developed for screening rare earth elements, with a focus on Ytterbium (Yb 3+ ). The newly developed cAuNPs show a strong plasmonic response to Yb 3+ due to their specific affinity among the screened rare earth metals, resulting in rapid color changes and distinctive spectral shifts from 530 nm to 550 nm, making them a selective and sensitive sensor with a detection limit of 191 nM for Yb 3+ . This system provides a convenient, cost-effective approach for Yb 3+ detection, avoiding complex sample preparation.