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Simple synthesis of silver nanocluster composites AgNCs@PE-g-PAA by irradiation method and fluorescence detection of Cr3+

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Abstract

Silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) are a new type of nanomaterials with similar properties to molecules and unique applications. The applications of AgNCs can be significantly expanded by combining them with different matrix materials to obtain AgNC composites. Using irradiation techniques, we developed a simple two-step method for preparing silver nanocluster composites. First, polyacrylic acid (PAA) chains were grafted onto the surface of a PE film as templates (PE-g-PAA). Subsequently, silver ions were reduced in situ on the surface of the template material to obtain the AgNC composites (AgNCs@PE-g-PAA). The degree of AgNC loading on the composite film was easily controlled by adjusting the reaction conditions. The loaded AgNCs were anchored to the carboxyl groups of the PAA and wrapped in the graft chain. The particle size of the AgNCs was only 4.38 ± 0.85 nm, with a very uniform particle size distribution. The AgNCs@PE-g-PAA exhibited fluorescence characteristics derived from the AgNCs. The fluorescence of the AgNCs@PE-g-PAA was easily quenched by Cr3+ ions. The composite can be used as a fluorescence test paper to realize visual detection of Cr3+.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Science Data Bank at https://www.doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00186.00070 and http://resolve.pid21.cn/31253.11.sciencedb.j00186.0007.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China

    Fei Han, Wen-Rui Wang, Dan-Yi Li, Mou-Hua Wang, Ji-Hao Li & Lin-Fan Li

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Fei Han, Wen-Rui Wang, Dan-Yi Li, Mou-Hua Wang, Ji-Hao Li & Lin-Fan Li

  3. Wuwei Institute of New Energy, Wuwei, 733000, China

    Ji-Hao Li & Lin-Fan Li

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  1. Fei Han
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Fei Han, Wen-Rui Wang, Dan-Yi Li, Mou-Hua Wang and Ji-Hao Li. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Fei Han under the guidance of Lin-Fan Li and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ji-Hao Li or Lin-Fan Li.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

This work was supported by the Gansu Natural Science Foundation (Nos. 20JR10RA778 and 20JR10RA777).

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Han, F., Wang, WR., Li, DY. et al. Simple synthesis of silver nanocluster composites AgNCs@PE-g-PAA by irradiation method and fluorescence detection of Cr3+. NUCL SCI TECH 34, 73 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-023-01224-0

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