Tunable Luminescence from Stable Silver Nanoclusters Confined in Microporous Zeolites

The study of luminescent silver nanoclusters confined inside porous zeolite crystal has garnered the interest of fundamental and applied nanomaterials research owing to the fascinating properties they exhibit once stabilized into small, molecule-like clusters. Notably, such systems display a tunable optical emission (spanning nearly the entire visible range) and high luminescence quantum yields, features that are both sensitive to external stimuli and changes in the local environment of the cluster. Together, this combination of physical attributes has motivated research based on the intentional introduction of external atomic and molecular species into zeolites’ interior pore volume. In this progress report, recent discoveries which have helped to elucidate the dynamic luminescent emission properties of silver nanoclusters confined in zeolites are examined, highlighting promising efforts being made toward reaching rational design protocols for their functional synthesis. Several encouraging multicomponent systems that have allowed for the flexible regulation of the luminescence properties of the confined silver nanoclusters are brought into focus. Further, a brief up-to-date review of their applications is provided, ranging from efficient light-emitting devices to sensitive (bio)sensors.