A luminescent Cu4 cluster film grown by electrospray deposition: a nitroaromatic vapour sensor

0571410 - ÚACH 2024 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Jana, A. - Spoorthi, B. K. - Nair, A. S. - Nagar, A. - Pathak, B. - Baše, Tomáš - Pradeep, T.
A luminescent Cu4 cluster film grown by electrospray deposition: a nitroaromatic vapour sensor.
Nanoscale. Roč. 15, č. 18 (2023), s. 8141-8147. ISSN 2040-3364. E-ISSN 2040-3372
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) LTAIN19152
Institutional support: RVO:61388980
Keywords : Metal nanoclusters * Density functional theory * Deposition * Luminescence
OECD category: Inorganic and nuclear chemistry
Impact factor: 6.7, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3NR00416C

We present the fabrication and use of a film of a carborane-thiol-protected tetranuclear copper cluster with characteristic orange luminescence using ambient electrospray deposition (ESD). Charged microdroplets of the clusters produced by an electrospray tip deposit the clusters at an air-water interface to form a film. Different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques characterized the porous surface structure of the film. Visible and rapid quenching of the emission of the film upon exposure to 2-nitrotoluene (2-NT) vapours under ambient conditions was observed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations established the favourable binding sites of 2-NT with the cluster. Desorption of 2-NT upon heating recovered the original luminescence, demonstrating the reusability of the sensor. Stable emission upon exposure to different organic solvents and its quenching upon exposure to 2,4-dinitrotoluene and picric acid showed selectivity of the film to nitroaromatic species.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0343005


Research data: RSC Publishing