A　highly　charged　water-soluble　iridium(III)　(Ir(III))　complex　[(ppy)2Ir(bpy-N)]3+　was　designed,　synthesized　and　characterized,　and　the　crystal　structure　of　it　was　determined　by　X-ray　crystallography.　The　photophysical　properties　of　complex　in　absence　or　presence　of　sodium　heparin　were　studied　by　UV–vis　absorption　and　photoluminescent　spectroscopies.　After　addition　of　sodium　heparin,　the　luminescent　intensity　of　complex　at　ca.　656　nm　was　increased　about　4.3-fold,　without　any　observable　color　change　in　the　solution.　The　new　Ir(III)　complex　was　also　assembled　with　gold　nanoparticles　(AuNPs)　for　the　dual-mode　detection　of　sodium　heparin,　combined　with　colorimetric　and　luminescent　methods.　In　this　system,　the　luminescence　of　complex　was　quenched　by　AuNPs　firstly　with　the　red　color　of　gold　nano　colloids　transition　into　blue　due　to　the　aggregation.　The　color　of　the　assembled　system　changed　from　blue　to　purple　to　red　accompanying　with　the　luminescent　intensity　of　system　restoring　after　increasing　the　concentrations　of　added　sodium　heparin.　The　sodium　heparin　was　sensitively　detected　with　LOD　of　0.09　μg/mL.　This　work　demonstrates　a　novel　bifunctional　sensing　platform　for　sodium　heparin,　leveraging　the　unique　photophysical　properties　of　the　Ir(III)　complex　and　the　plasmonic　behavior　of　AuNPs,　offering　significant　potential　for　sensitive　and　visual　detection　applications.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.