One-step aqueous synthesis of fluorescent copper nanoclusters by direct metal reduction.
A one-step aqueous synthesis of highly fluorescent water-soluble copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) is here described, based on direct reduction of the metal precursor with NaBH4 in the presence of bidentate ligands (made of lipoic acid anchoring groups, appended with a poly(ethylene glycol) short chain). A complete optical and structural characterization was carried out: the optical emission was centred at 416 nm, with a luminescence quantum yield in water of 3.6% (the highest one reported so far in water for this kind of nanocluster). The structural characterization reveals a homogeneous size distribution (of 2.5 nm diameter) with spherical shape. The CuNCs obtained offer long-term stability (the luminescence emission remained unaltered after more than two months) under a broad range of chemical conditions (e.g., stored at pH 3-12 or even in a high ionic strength medium such as 1 M NaCl) and high photostability, keeping their fluorescence emission intact after more than 2 h of daylight and UV-light exposition. All those advantageous features warrant synthesized CuNCs being promising fluorescent nanoprobes for further developments including (bio)applications.
Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Oviedo, Julian Claveria 8, 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
Mónica
M
Fernández-Ujados
Laura
L
Trapiella-Alfonso
José M
JM
Costa-Fernández
Rosario
R
Pereiro
Alfredo
A
Sanz-Medel
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008024:Ligands; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation; D013499:Surface Properties
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008024:Ligands; D010710:Phosphates; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D003300:Copper