Heavy-metal-containing quantum dots (QDs), such as CdSe-based quantum dots (QDs) have been applied to lightconversion nano-phosphors due to tunable emission and pure colors. Unfortunately, those QDs involve toxic elements and synthesize in a hazardous halogenated solvent. Therefore, Eco-friendly gold nano-clusters (AuNCs@GSH) in solution phase have gained much attention for promising applications in biophotonics. For the first time, we explore the feasibility of aqueous-solution-processed AuNCs@GSH as luminescent species for promising applications in "green" luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) by investigating their photophysical properties. Due to ligand-to-metal chargetransfer (LMCT) state, we found that such "green" LSCs formed by Zn-AuNCs@GSH dispersed in a polymer matrix exhibit large Stokes shift and small scattering losses. Compared to AuNCs@GSH, the Zn-AuNCs@GSH dispersed in a polymer matrix could suppress non-radiative recombination rates, inducing the enhancement of luminescence and the increase of PL-QY from 2% to 40%.
The CdSe-based quantum dots (QDs) have been applied to light-conversion nano-phosphors due to tunable emission and pure colors. However, these cadmium-containing QDs was strongly toxic and synthesized in a hazardous solvent. In addition, conventional QD nano-phosphors with a small Stokes shift suffered from reabsorption losses and aggregation-induced photoluminescence (PL) quenching in the solid state. Therefore, there is a need to develop nanophosphors with a large Stokes shift. Here, we demonstrate one-pot synthesis of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) using 3- aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APS) and glutathione as protection ligand with a large Stokes shift. The gold nanoclusters with a large Stokes shift can mitigate the aggregation-induced PL quenching and reabsorption losses, which would be potential candidates for "green" nano-phosphors.
We describe the use of UV light under different radiation time induces a variety of fluorescence wavelength of gold
quantum clusters. First, we synthesize blue-emitted gold quantum clusters by dissolving the gold trichloride in pure
toluene. To simplify the expression, we assume that the several featured PL peak (425, 450, 470 nm) is the signal for
blue-emitted gold quantum clusters. Undergo UV irradiation can brighten and broaden the PL spectra of gold quantum
clusters, which are observed by the evolutional spectra versus exposure time. After UV light exposure, the major
population of gold quantum clusters @425nm decreased and turned to gold quantum clusters@450nm, followed by the
growing population of gold quantum clusters@470nm clusters. Until 2 hour exposure, the spectra become broad with
major peak shifted to 525 nm. The tunable spectra from blue to green attributes to the induced growth of gold quantum
clusters by UV irradiation. The UV energy indeed tunes and broadens the emission covering the whole visible-spectra
range. Finally, we also utilize via proper selection of organic surfactant (such as: trioctyl phosphine, TOP) can coordinate
the quantum yield enhancement of blue-emitted gold quantum clusters under UV irradiation. The experiment method is
easily for gold quantum clusters synthesis. Thus we expect this materials can be developed for fluorescence labeling
application in the future.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.