A Versatile Sensing Toolkit for Highly Sensitive Detection through the Electrical Conductivity of Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract Developing a versatile sensing toolkit with high sensitivity may revolutionize current techniques for analytical applications. This work reports a sensing strategy through the electrical conductivity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). By modulating the concentration, aggregation, and surface ligand of AuNPs, a versatile analytical platform for highly sensitive detection based on the electrical conductivity is outlined. The difference in concentration, aggregation, and surface ligand enables a response in the conductivity of AuNPs, offering a great platform for developing AuNPs‐implemented assays using the conductivity as the signal readout. Compared with the plasmonic signal readout of AuNPs, this conductivity‐based sensing method has advantages in high sensitivity, low cost, and simple operation, showing great potential as a powerful technique for versatile applications.