The potential of tannic acid (TA) as a dispersing agent for graphene (G) in aqueous solutions and its interaction with riboflavin have been studied under different experimental conditions. TA induces quenching of riboflavin fluorescence, and the effect is stronger with increasing TA concentration, due to π-π interactions through the aromatic rings, and hydrogen bonding interactions between the hydroxyl moieties of both compounds. The influence of TA concentration, the pH, and the G/TA weight ratio on the quenching magnitude, have been studied. At a pH of 4.1, G dispersed in TA hardly influences the riboflavin fluorescence, while at a pH of 7.1, the nanomaterial interacts with riboflavin, causing an additional quenching to that produced by TA. When TA concentration is kept constant, quenching of G on riboflavin fluorescence depends on both the G/TA weight ratio and the TA concentration. The fluorescence attenuation is stronger for dispersions with the lowest G/TA ratios, since TA is the main contributor to the quenching effect. Data obey the Stern-Volmer relationship up to TA 2.0 g L-1 and G 20 mg L-1. Results demonstrate that TA is an effective dispersant for graphene-based nanomaterials in liquid medium and a green alternative to conventional surfactants and synthetic polymers for the determination of biomolecules.
Keywords: fluorescence; graphene; quenching; riboflavin; tannic acid.