0000000000319875
AUTHOR
Daniel Cuaran-acosta
Reversible pH-induced fluorescence colour change of gold nanoclusters based on pH-regulated surface interactions.
To prepare water-dispersible, biocompatible, ratiometric pH nanosensors is challenging. We report here for the first time that the emission colour of NAD+-capped AuNCs responds to the mono-/bidentate anchoring of the phosphoric groups of the ligand. The AuNCs exhibit a high luminescence (21% quantum yield) and an outstanding performance as fluorescent ratiometric pH sensors over a broad pH range.
Water-Soluble Naked Gold Nanoclusters Are Not Luminescent.
We report here the synthesis of water-dispersible naked gold nanoclusters (AuNCnaked) by a simple reduction of HAuCl4 with NaOH at room temperature and show that they are non-luminescent. They were then easily passivated with different thiols and adenosine monophosphate to lead to luminescent NCs. This is an important finding as the photoluminescence of the passivated NCs can now be clearly attributed to the ligand-AuNC surface interaction. These results are also highly relevant from the point of view of the preparation of luminescent NCs from the same NC batch. This strategy can be valuable for the preparation of a broad range of nano(bio)composites.