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Efficient and Monochromatic Electrochemiluminescence of Aqueous‐Soluble Au Nanoclusters via Host–Guest Recognition
Author(s) -
Yang Liqiong,
Zhang Bin,
Fu Li,
Fu Kena,
Zou Guizheng
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201900115
Subject(s) - electrochemiluminescence , nanoclusters , photoluminescence , aqueous solution , chemistry , surface modification , photochemistry , materials science , electrode , organic chemistry , optoelectronics
Inspired by the enhanced photoluminescence of Au nanoclusters (AuNCs) with a rigid shell, the formation of rigid host–guest assemblies on AuNC surfaces was employed to screen novel electrochemiluminophores with 6‐aza‐2‐thiothymine(ATT)‐protected AuNCs (ATT‐AuNCs) and l ‐arginine (ARG) as models for the first time. The rigid host–guest assemblies formed between ARG and ATT on the ATT‐AuNC surface enabled aqueous‐soluble ARG/ATT‐AuNCs with a dramatically enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) compared to ATT‐AuNCs. This includes one cathodic ECL process (−1.30 V) and three anodic ECL processes (+0.78, 0.90, and 1.05 V) in a so‐called half‐scan experiment without a co‐reactant, as well as a 70‐fold enhanced oxidative‐reduction ECL at +0.78 V with tri‐n‐propylamine as a co‐reactant. Importantly, the ECL of the ARG/ATT‐AuNCs is highly monochromatic with an emission maximum around 532 nm and a full width at half‐maximum of 36 nm, which is of great interest for color‐selective ECL assays.