Synthesis of Luminescent Metal Nanoclusters with Atomically Precise Structures and High Quantum Yields

Strong quantum confinement effects and the ultrasmall size of metal nanoclusters (NCs) give rise to their bright and tunable photoluminescence (PL). Based on their unique PL properties, metal NCs have found increasing applications in bioimaging, optoelectronics, and many other applications. However, the current development of luminescent metal NCs is largely hindered by the unclear emission mechanism and relatively low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), which requires the production of highly luminescent metal NCs with atomically precise structures. This chapter outlines recent progress in the synthetic chemistry of luminescent metal NCs, making high PLQYs and atom-level monodispersity possible. We first discuss various strategies delivering atomically precise metal NCs, including reduction growth, post-treatment, ligand exchange, and inter-cluster reactions. Subsequently, available methodologies have been developed for modulating the photoluminescent properties, particularly the PLQY. This chapter then concludes with our perspectives on the future development of metal NCs in industrial and clinical applications. This chapter presents fundamental insights and synthetic methodologies for highly luminescent metal NCs.