Issue 39, 2017

Understanding energy transfer with luminescent gold nanoclusters: a promising new transduction modality for biorelated applications

Abstract

Ultrasmall noble metal and especially gold nanoclusters (AuNCs, ≤2 nm diameter in size) display a range of unique quantum confined and photophysical properties which are far different from their larger-sized nanoparticle counterparts or that of the bulk parent material. Amongst these properties, the photoluminescence of gold AuNCs has stimulated much interest for biological applications due to a combination of their small size, high photostability and range of emissions depending on size and surface stabilizing ligands, including near-IR emission. The dearth of robust Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) donors and acceptors available to populate the latter spectral range is also driving strong interest in applying AuNCs for similar utility and especially for biosensing. However, the exact mechanism of how AuNCs engage in this type of energy transfer (ET) is still not defined and accumulating evidence indicates that it is not by a classical Förster process although, interestingly, many of the same characteristics and photophysical requirements seem to be present and even many-times required. Here, we summarize the state of the art in AuNC ET studies with a special emphasis on relevance to biological utility ranging from diagnostics to distance measurements along with describing the different ET mechanisms that have been ascribed with their use. Due to its corresponding importance in this discussion, we provide a brief overview of how these materials are synthesized, the current understanding of how their photoluminescence originates, and some related information on silver nanocluster (AgNC) ET along with related processes such as chemically-induced ET. A perspective and outlook on how this area will develop in the future is also provided.

Graphical abstract: Understanding energy transfer with luminescent gold nanoclusters: a promising new transduction modality for biorelated applications

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
16 जून 2017
Accepted
08 अगस्त 2017
First published
25 अगस्त 2017

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2017,5, 7907-7926

Understanding energy transfer with luminescent gold nanoclusters: a promising new transduction modality for biorelated applications

S. A. Díaz, D. A. Hastman, I. L. Medintz and E. Oh, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2017, 5, 7907 DOI: 10.1039/C7TB01654A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements