Fluorescent metal nanoclusters are gaining much interest because of their desirable photophysical properties, smaller size than quantum dots, and biocompatibility.  As a compliment to quantum dots and molecular fluorophores, fluorescent metal nanoclusters have been produced using templates of dendrimers and polymers, small molecular ligands, or within biological materials of interest, such as DNA.  The specificity of complementary base pairing has made DNA an attractive template for the synthesis of two- and three-dimensional nanostructures and also for templating and organizing inorganic nanoparticles. We exploit the chemical and structural specificity of DNA to not only template fluorescent nanoclusters, but to also enable their use in medical diagnostics and in the bottom-up assembly of heterostructures.

Fluorescent molecular-like metal nanoclusters

247th National Meeting (2014)

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