A disulfur ligand stabilization approach to construct a silver(i)-cluster-based porous framework as a sensitive SERS...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Coordination Chemistry

Background:

• Atomically precise metal clusters are building blocks for advanced materials.
• Self-assembly offers a bottom-up approach for constructing complex frameworks.
• Dithiocarbamate ligands can stabilize metal clusters and mediate framework formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel 3D silver(i)-cluster-based framework.
• To investigate the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties of the derived material.
• To explore a new strategy for creating SERS-active materials using cluster-based frameworks.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembly of silver(i) ions with ditiocarbamate ligands.
• Structural characterization of the resulting 3D framework (UJN-1).
• Chemical reduction and preparation of nano-sized UJN-1 for SERS analysis.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of UJN-1, a 3D framework composed of Ag9 clusters and Ag5 subunits linked by ditiocarbamate.
• UJN-1 exhibits a microporous 3,4-connected topological structure.
• Chemically reduced nano-UJN-1 demonstrated highly sensitive SERS detection of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA).

Conclusions:

• A new bottom-up method for constructing SERS-active 3D silver(i)-cluster materials was established.
• The porosity and abundant Ag0 active sites in nano-UJN-1 contribute to its enhanced SERS performance.
• This study opens avenues for designing advanced cluster-based materials for sensing applications.