| Abstract: A new synthesis strategy for fluorescent silver nanoclusters was developed. During this synthesis process, without any other reductants, only facile biomaterials, i.e., eggwhite proteins, were used as materials and scaffolds for preparation of silver nanoclusters. By simple incubation process under the optimum conditions, this one-pot methodology yielded nanoclusters with unique optical properties. The mechanism of this synthesis strategy was presumably based on Biomimetic Mineralization: sequestering and interacting with inorganic ions, followed by providing scaffolds for minerals formed, mostly through functional proteins. The diameters of this nanoclusters were smaller than 2 nm, which charaterized by the analysis of transimission electron microscopy. Obviously, this synthesis strategy was simple, environmental friendly and cost-efficient. Additionally, a novel silver nanocluster-based fluorescent probe for cyanide in aqueous solution was described. This probe relied on the cyanide etching-mediated fluorescence quenching of the silver nanoclusters, which also was confirmed by the analysis of absorption spectra. Thus sensing assay for cyanide possesses highly sensitivity and selectivity, and good linearity. With this probe, the detection limit was down to 1.2 μmol·L-1 and lower than the maximum level (2.7 μmol·L-1) of cyanide anion in drinking water proposed by the World Health Oranization(WTO). |
