Electrochemiluminescence and Photoluminescence Instrumentation for Silver Nanocluster Analysis

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a useful analytical technique that combines the principles of electrochemistry and luminescence to detect and quantify a wide range of chemical and biological substances. The intensity of the light-emitting molecules correlates with the concentration of the target substance, making ECL highly sensitive and specific. Photoluminescence (PL) is a process where a material absorbs photons and then re-emits them. When light is shined on a material, electrons in the material absorb energy and eventually return to their original, lower energy levels, emitting light in the process. Due to their molecular size and high stability, nanoclusters have shown to be possible ECL emitters. The silver nanoclusters have been synthesized with six coordinating (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) ligands in Dr. Workentin’s group. To analyze the ECL and PL properties of the silver nanoclusters, various advanced techniques were used to provide insight into their reaction processes.