Atomic‐Level Engineering of Au–Ag Nanoclusters Enables Divergent Triplet Emission

W Wei Zhang J Jie Kong W Wen‐Ting Liu (Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Inorganic Oxygenated Materials College of Chemistry Fuzhou University Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China) R Rui Zhao J Jiachen Zhang (Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China) H Hongjian Deng (Department Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale Department of Chemical Physics University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 P.R. China) Z Zhen Lei (Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Q Quan‐Ming Wang (Department of Chemistry Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P.R. China) Y Yi Luo (State Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Engineering and Industrial Catalysis) M Meng Zhou

Abstract

Abstract Triplet‐state‐based luminescence holds great promise for next‐generation optoelectronic materials, yet its mechanistic modulation through structural control remains a fundamental challenge for nanomaterials. Here, we present a comparative study of two atomically precise nanoclusters, Au 6 Ag 2 and Au 6 Ag 4 , which feature an identical Au 6 core but differ subtly in Ag atom count and ligand coordination. Despite their structural similarity and triplet dominated emission origin, the results herein reveal that Au 6 Ag 2 exhibits phosphorescence, whereas Au 6 Ag 4 demonstrates dual emission involving both phosphorescence and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). The contrasting behaviors arise from fine‐tuning the silver contents and organic ligands, which alters photoluminescence nature without modifying the metal core. This work highlights a structure‐driven approach to regulating triplet‐state photoluminescence in metal nanoclusters and offers a blueprint for designing next‐generation triplet‐emissive materials.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 47
Published November 17, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (10)

W

Wei Zhang

J

Jie Kong

W

Wen‐Ting Liu

Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Inorganic Oxygenated Materials College of Chemistry Fuzhou University Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China

R

Rui Zhao

J

Jiachen Zhang

Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China

H

Hongjian Deng

Department Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale Department of Chemical Physics University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 P.R. China

Z

Zhen Lei

Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Q

Quan‐Ming Wang

Department of Chemistry Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P.R. China

Y

Yi Luo

State Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Engineering and Industrial Catalysis

M

Meng Zhou