Post-synthetic and in situ engineering of metal nanoclusters for enhanced stability and multifunctional applications

Abstract

Metal nanoclusters (MNCs), with their atomically precise structures and unique optical, electronic, and catalytic properties, have emerged as a new frontier in materials chemistry for applications in sensing, imaging, catalysis, optoelectronics, and biomedicine. However, their practical use is often limited by instability, low quantum yield, and aggregation, underscoring the need for deliberate engineering to unlock their full potential. Recent advances demonstrate that post-synthetic and in situ engineering strategies enable precise modulation of nanocluster composition, surface chemistry, and interfacial interactions, often leading to the formation of nanohybrid systems through integration of MNCs with polymers, biomolecules, carbon materials, and porous frameworks. These approaches regulate electronic structure, introduce new energy states, and suppress nonradiative pathways, thereby enhancing stability, photoluminescence, and multifunctionality. This review highlights these engineering strategies and discusses their role in advancing applications, particularly in sensing.