In situ and ex situ observations of the growth dynamics of single perylene nanocrystals in water

The growth dynamics of fluorescent perylene nanocrystals, which are fabricated by the reprecipitation method, was investigated using in situ and ex situ single-particle fluorescence measurements. A red shift in the emission maxima as the aging time increased was observed by single-particle fluorescence spectral measurements. The number and size of the nanocrystals increased with the increasing aging time in water. It was concluded that the metastable intermediates, such as clusters and initial nanoparticles, are relevant for the early stages of nucleation and growth of the perylene nanocrystals.