Dynamic study on the transformation process of gold nanoclusters

In this paper, the transformation process from Au 8 to Au 25 nanoclusters (NCs) is investigated with steady state fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy at various reaction temperatures and solvent diffusivities. Results demonstrate that Au 8 NCs, protected by bovine serum albumin, transform into Au 25 NCs under controlled pH values through an endothermic reaction with the activation energy of 74 kJ mol −1 . Meanwhile, the characteristic s-shaped curves describing the formation of Au 25 NCs suggest this process involves a diffusion controlled growth mechanism.

Xiaoqian Ma, Xiaoming Wen, Yon-Rui Toh, Kuo-Yen Huang, Jau Tang and Pyng Yu

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