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Subnanometer-sized metal nanoclusters (NCs) with diameters less than < 2 nm have emerged as promising materials in biomedical applications. Here we report the synthesis of near- infrared emitting (NIR) Au14 nanoclusters using a small therapeutic molecule D-penicillamine (DPA) as a surface stabilizing agent. We have characterized the morphology and composition of as-synthesized NCs using electron microscopy and mass spetrsometry techniques. The photophysics of the NCs was investigated using UV-Vis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. We found molecular like absorption features with three distinctive absorption bands at 390 nm, 456 nm, 590 nm, and a photoemission band at 696 nm. We found Au NCs specifically inhibited cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner through preferential uptake and imparting significant intracellular ROS. They did not show any acute toxicity in C57BL/6 mice at a dosage of 10 mg/Kg with predominant accumulation in the kidney at the end of 24 hours.

More info: Bain et al., ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Enigneering, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c03605)

Our research interests include decay dynamics, energy transfer, and electron transfer of QD, Au nanoparticles, Au clusters, C-dots, semiconducting polymer, graphene and porphyrin based luminescent nanoparticles, and up- and down- converted luminescent materials for photonic applications.