Fluorescent Metallic Nanoclusters: Electron Dynamics, Structure, and Applications

Abstract

Atomically precise Au nanoclusters (NCs) have emerged as fascinating fluorescent nanomaterials and attracted considerable research interest in both fundamental research and practical applications. Due to enhanced quantum confinement, they possess extraordinary optical, electronic, and magnetic properties and therefore are very promising for a wide range of applications, including biosensing, bioimaging, catalysis, photonics, and molecular electronics. Remarkable progress has been reported for the fundamental understanding, synthesis techniques, and applications. In this review, the updated advances are summarized in Au NCs, including synthesis techniques, optical properties, and applications. In particular, we focus on the optical properties and electron dynamic processes. In addition, the progress in other noble metallic NCs is included in this Review, such as Ag, Cu, Pt, and alloy, which have attracted much research interest recently. Finally, an outlook is presented for such fascinating nanomaterials in both aspects of future fundamental research and potential applications.

Fluorescent nanoprobes for sensing and imaging of metal ions: Recent advances and future perspectives

“…Fluorescent metal NCs have emerged as a new class of fluorophores because of several advantageous features [99-102] such as good fluorescence properties and biocompatibility, excellent photostability, sub-nanometer size, and ease of synthesis. The synthesis, biofunctionalization, and applications of metal NCs have been extensively reviewed elsewhere [17,84,103-107].…”

“…There are many advantages to using fluorescent metal NCs as an imaging agent in cells and in vivo , including their unique functionality, ease in conjugation, biocompatibility, large Stoke shift, long lifetime, as well as their photo- and chemical stability [99-102]. A common strategy for intracellular metal ion imaging is based on the analyte-specific quenching of fluorescence NCs probes.…”

Controllable Catalysis with Nanoparticles: Bimetallic Alloy Systems and Surface Adsorbates

“…While significant strides towards atomically precise synthesis of metal NPs have been made in recent years, [12][13][14] the catalytic mechanisms operational at NP surfaces are not yet entirely understood. It is commonly accepted that clean/pristine NP surfaces are preferable in well-behaved catalysts.…”

Efficient photoinduced charge transfer in chemically-linked organic-metal Ag-P3HT nanocomposites

“…Hence, it may be concluded that the PL at 530 nm originates from Ag-P3HT and not from thermal degradation of P3HT or Ag NPs. Some research groups reported silver nanoclusters with diameters smaller than 2 nm are luminescent and their fluorescence maximum resides around 680 nm [16,23,24]. Since it was not observed in the PL spectra, we conclude that the luminescent Ag nanoclusters were not formed.…”