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X‐Ray‐Induced Growth Dynamics of Luminescent Silver Clusters in Zeolites
Author(s) -
Fenwick Oliver,
CoutiñoGonzalez Eduardo,
Richard Fanny,
Bonacchi Sara,
Baekelant Wouter,
Vos Dirk,
Roeffaers Maarten B. J.,
Hofkens Johan,
Samorì Paolo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.202002063
Subject(s) - luminescence , cluster (spacecraft) , silver nanoparticle , materials science , ion , metal , calcination , auger , nanoparticle , fluorescence , chemical physics , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , crystallography , chemistry , atomic physics , optics , physics , optoelectronics , metallurgy , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language , catalysis , biochemistry , chromatography
Herein, AlK α X‐rays are used to drive the growth of luminescent silver clusters in zeolites. The growth of the silver species is tracked using Auger spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy, by monitoring the evolution from their ions to luminescent clusters and then metallic, dark nanoparticles. It is shown that the growth rate in different zeolites is determined by the mobility of the silver ions in the framework and that the growth dynamics in calcined samples obeys the Hill–Langmuir equation for noncooperative binding. Comparison of the optical properties of X‐ray‐grown silver clusters with silver clusters formed by standard heat treatment indicates that the latter have a higher specificity toward the formation of luminescent clusters of a specific (small) nuclearity, whereas the former produce a wide distribution of cluster species as well as larger nanoparticles.