Citation: Xiaoqin Du, Peiyao Pan, Haoqi Li, Di Zhang, Wentao Huang, Xi Kang, Manzhou Zhu. Assessing the photoluminescence of metal nanoclusters: The individual versus the collective[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(2): 111155. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111155 shu

Assessing the photoluminescence of metal nanoclusters: The individual versus the collective

Department of Chemistry and Centre for Atomic Engineering of Advanced Materials, Key Laboratory of Structure and Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials of Ministry of Education, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Functionalized Materials, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China

kangxi_chem@ahu.edu.cn

Received Date: 23 February 2025
Revised Date: 20 March 2025
Accepted Date: 27 March 2025
Available Online: 27 March 2025

Figures(5)

Understanding the photoluminescence (PL) mechanism of metal nanoclusters from both molecular and supramolecular perspectives is crucial for developing highly emissive cluster-based nanomaterials. In this study, we synthesized two structurally similar Ag₁₄ nanoclusters with different phosphine stabilizers, which demonstrated opposite PL behaviors in solution and crystalline states. The Ag₁₄ nanocluster stabilized by P(Ph-OMe)₃ ligands exhibited a higher PL intensity compared to the one stabilized by P(Ph-F)₃ ligands, which was attributed to the stronger electron-donating ability of the P(Ph-OMe)₃ ligand that improved ligand-to-metal charge transfer efficiency. In contrast, the P(Ph-F)₃ stabilized Ag₁₄ crystals displayed greater PL intensity than the Ag₁₄ cluster crystal with a -OMe surface, which was due to stronger intermolecular interactions within the cluster lattice of the former that limited non-radiative energy loss and thus enhanced PL. Overall, this work aims to promote a comprehensive understanding of the fluorescence in cluster-based nanomaterials, which will be beneficial for their downstream applications.
- Nanocluster,
- Photoluminescence,
- Crystal structure,
- Ligand effect,
- Intermolecular interaction
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