Microwave-heating synthesis and sensing applications of bright gold nanoclusters

A rapid microwave-heating method has been developed for the synthesis of bright Au nanoclusters by using bull serum albumin as the template in an aqueous environment. The reaction time needed is only 7.0 min, and the weight of the products at one batch can reach 15 g. The Au nanoclusters exhibit bright fluorescence at ∼613 nm with quantum yield of ∼6.0%. By adjusting the pH value, the products can be controlled to precipitate or re-disperse in aqueous solution. Furthermore, the Au nanoclusters have exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity in the determination of Cu2+ ions in water. These results suggest an efficient method for obtaining metal nanoclusters for the detection and sensing applications.

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► We establish a microwave-heating method to synthesize protein-stabilized Au nanoclusters.
► The obtained Au nanoclusters show bright red fluorescence.
► The Au nanoclusters can be used as efficient fluorescence probe for Cu2+ ion sensing.