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Extra Silver Atom Triggers Room-Temperature Photoluminescence in Atomically Precise Radarlike Silver Clusters
Jin-Sen Yang1, Zhen Han1, Xi-Yan Dong1,2
1Green Catalysis Center and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|April 16, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed a non-emissive silver cluster into an emissive one by adding a single silver atom. This breakthrough enables bright room-temperature photoluminescence for advanced imaging and sensing applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Luminescent metal clusters are promising for imaging and sensing.
- Suppressing nonradiative decay in metal cores is crucial for room-temperature emission.
- Existing methods for achieving room-temperature luminescence in metal clusters are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel approach for enhancing room-temperature photoluminescence in silver clusters.
- To investigate the effect of incorporating an additional silver atom on cluster luminescence.
- To explore the potential of modified silver clusters in optical applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a non-emissive silver cluster (NC1) with a specific thiolated structure.
- Addition of a single silver atom into the metal interstice of NC1.
- Characterization of the resulting silver cluster (NC2) for its structural and photoluminescent properties.
- Utilizing 1-adamantanethiol as a ligand to stabilize the modified cluster.
Main Results:
- A non-emissive silver cluster [Ag27(StBu)14(S)2(CF3COO)9(DMAc)4] (NC1) was synthesized.
- The addition of a 28th silver atom and a new ligand resulted in a luminescent cluster [Ag28(AdmS)14(S)2(CF3COO)10(H2O)4] (NC2).
- NC2 exhibited bright green room-temperature photoluminescence, attributed to the rigidity imparted by the additional silver atom.
Conclusions:
- Incorporating a single silver atom into a thiolated silver cluster can effectively suppress nonradiative decay and induce room-temperature photoluminescence.
- The rigidity of the cluster structure plays a key role in achieving efficient light emission.
- This finding offers a new strategy for designing luminescent metal clusters for advanced optical applications.
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