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Photooxidation-Induced Ultrabright and Ultraphotostable NIR-II Emissive Water-Soluble Gold Nanoclusters
Xiaoxi Luo1, Hang Xiao1, Siru He1
1State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|October 11, 2025
Summary
Continuous light illumination enhances water-soluble gold nanoclusters, achieving ultra-high photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stability in the NIR-II region. This breakthrough addresses key limitations for advanced luminophore applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Photobleaching and low photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) limit applications of luminophores in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region.
- Developing stable and highly emissive NIR-II materials is crucial for advanced optical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop water-soluble gold nanoclusters with enhanced QY and photostability in the NIR-II region.
- To investigate the mechanism behind the emission enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Continuous light illumination of gold nanoclusters (Au38(pMBA)24).
- Characterization of photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and photostability.
- Analysis of nanocluster transformation using spectroscopy and other techniques.
Main Results:
- Achieved ultra-high NIR-II QY (up to ~60% in D2O) and exceptional photostability.
- Demonstrated photooxidation-induced transformation from Au38(pMBA)24 to Au76(pMBA)44 as the enhancement mechanism.
- Identified accelerated inter-system crossing and suppressed nonradiative decay as contributors to higher QY.
Conclusions:
- Continuous light illumination is an effective strategy to significantly improve gold nanocluster performance.
- The photooxidation pathway offers a novel approach for designing highly emissive and photostable NIR-II luminophores.
- This work overcomes critical limitations, paving the way for new applications in the NIR-II spectrum.
