Structural distortion and electron redistribution in dual-emitting gold nanoclusters

Abstract

Deciphering the complicated excited-state process is critical for the development of luminescent materials with controllable emissions in different applications. Here we report the emergence of a photo-induced structural distortion accompanied by an electron redistribution in a series of gold nanoclusters. Such unexpected slow process of excited-state transformation results in near-infrared dual emission with extended photoluminescent lifetime. We demonstrate that this dual emission exhibits highly sensitive and ratiometric response to solvent polarity, viscosity, temperature and pressure. Thus, a versatile luminescent nano-sensor for multiple environmental parameters is developed based on this strategy. Furthermore, we fully unravel the atomic-scale structural origin of this unexpected excited-state transformation, and demonstrate control over the transition dynamics by tailoring the bi-tetrahedral core structures of gold nanoclusters. Overall, this work provides a substantial advance in the excited-state physical chemistry of luminescent nanoclusters and a general strategy for the rational design of next-generation nano-probes, sensors and switches.

Tailoring the SWIR emission of gold nanoclusters by surface ligand rigidification and their application in 3D bioimaging

“…12 Other studies have demonstrated how increasing the rigidity of the organic shell surrounding the gold core of Au NC led to a striking enhancement and a blue-shift of the PL signal in the red window (650-850 nm). 14,15 The origin of the multiple SWIR PL bands observed for various Au NCs 12,13,[16][17][18] is still unclear and there is still a lack of information on their sensitivity to the environment such as pH, salt concentration, temperature, and viscosity.…”

Heterometallic Coinage Metal Acetylenediide Clusters Showing Tailored Thermochromic Luminescence

“…Despite of many studies have devoted to illustrate the influence on photoluminescence by metallophilicity, [3] aggregation, [4] and atom‐doping, [5] the origin of luminescence in these systems still remains elusive. Structurally well‐defined models including homometallic [6] and heterometallic architectures [7] have been investigated in terms of establishing the structure‐property relationships and pursuing multifunctional luminescent materials.…”

Nanotechnology in Tumor Biomarker Detection: The Potential of Liganded Nanoclusters as Nonlinear Optical Contrast Agents for Molecular Diagnostics of Cancer

“…Metallic nanomaterials bound to their molecular targets can be detected using multiple techniques, the choice of which depends on the properties of the nanomaterial and the compatibility of these techniques with the type of nanomaterial-labeled biosample-cell line, tissue, liquid biopsy, or the entire organism. While some nanomaterials, such as AuNCs, are intrinsically luminescent in the range from visible to near-infrared (NIR) light [66,67], others require adaptation to the desired detection method by functionalization. In cell culture samples, such nanomaterials can be detected using fluorescence microscopy or less common methods, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), auto-metallography, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) [56,68,69].…”