Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) are new functional nanomaterials, and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) are their representative products.

Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) refer to aggregates composed of metal atoms with a size of 1~10nm and significant size-dependent effects on fluorescence properties. Metal nanoclusters are new functional nanomaterials with the advantages of good photostability, high catalytic activity, low toxicity, and good antibacterial properties. They have broad application prospects in the fields of biomedicine, catalytic reactions, and optoelectronic materials.

Metal nanoclusters include single metal nanoclusters such as copper nanoclusters, gold nanoclusters, and silver nanoclusters, as well as alloy nanoclusters such as gold and copper nanoclusters, and gold and silver nanoclusters. Different types of metal nanoclusters have different application ranges. Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) are composed of oxygen atoms and gold atoms and can be used in the fields of catalysts and electrochemical energy storage. They are representative products of metal nanoclusters.

According to the “2023-2028 China Metal Nanoclusters (MNCs) Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report》 shows that metal nanoclusters are new functional nanomaterials with broad application prospects. Biomedicine, catalytic reactions, optoelectronic materials and other fields will become their main demand ends. In the field of biomedicine, metal nanoclusters can be used as fluorescent imaging agents in medical imaging; in the field of catalytic reactions, metal nanoclusters can be used as efficient catalysts in carbon dioxide reduction reactions and organic matter oxidation reactions; in the field of optoelectronic materials , Metal nanoclusters can be used as optical waveguide materials for integrated optics and information storage. In the future, with technological advancement, the commercialization process of metal nanoclusters will be accelerated.

In recent years, attracted by market prospects, my country’s enthusiasm for research and development of metal nanoclusters has continued to rise, and many new developments have been made. In June 2023, Professor Xing Wei’s team from the School of Materials Science and Engineering of China University of Petroleum successfully prepared an ultrafine platinum based on the tunability of metal nanoclusters and using a spatially confined reduction/growth strategy and a gas-phase metal filling strategy. Nanocluster catalyst, this product will be used in alkaline electrocatalytic hydrogen oxidation reactions in the future. As research continues to deepen, the application scope of metal nanoclusters will be further expanded.

At present, my country’s metal nanocluster industry is still in its infancy, focusing on laboratory research and development. The School of Materials Science and Engineering of China University of Petroleum, the Advanced Materials Atomic Engineering Research Center of Anhui University, the School of Materials of Qingdao University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an Qiyue Biotechnology, Xi’an Ruixi Biotechnology, etc. have laid out the R&D and production of metal nanoclusters in my country. scientific research institutions and enterprises.

Industry analysts said that metal nanoclusters, as a new functional nanomaterial, have broad application prospects in many fields. In the future, with in-depth research and technological advancement, the development speed of my country’s metal nanocluster industry will further accelerate. Gold nanoclusters have excellent properties and are representative products of metal nanoclusters. As the demand for their applications increases, the prosperity of my country’s metal nanocluster industry will further increase.