Fluorescent Copper Nanoclusters： From Synthesis to Environmental Pollutants Sensing

Lingwei Hu; Xiangqian Li; Zhuohan Zhou; Rumeng Zhao; Lingling Sun; Jitao Li

doi:10.7536/PC20250812

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Prog Chem ›› 2025, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (12) : 1792-1819. DOI: 10.7536/PC20250812

Review

Fluorescent Copper Nanoclusters： From Synthesis to Environmental Pollutants Sensing

Lingwei Hu ¹ ,
Xiangqian Li ² ,
Zhuohan Zhou ³ ,
Rumeng Zhao ³ ,
Lingling Sun ³^,^* ,
Jitao Li ³^,^*

Author information +

History +

Abstract

Copper nanoclusters （CuNCs） have gained prominence due to their remarkable color-tunable light emission and cost-effective， versatile solution-based synthesis. The use of various functional ligands in the synthesis of CuNCs enables the modulation of their emission wavelengths and enhances their environmental stability. These nanoclusters have found applications across diverse fields， including catalysis， sensing， bioimaging， and optoelectronics. This review offers a focused and up-to-date perspective by covering literature from the past decade （2015―2025） with an explicit emphasis on practical environmental matrices， including heavy metal ions， organic pollutants， pharmaceuticals， and other environmental contaminants. It systematically compares sensing mechanisms （e.g.， fluorescence quenching， turn-on responses， ratiometric and inner-filter effects） and provides tabulated limits of detection for key heavy metals， organic pollutants， and pharmaceuticals to facilitate direct benchmarking. Finally， the review highlights translational gaps for in-field deployment， such as matrix interferences， long-term stability of ligand-stabilized CuNCs， sample pre-treatment needs， and the absence of standardized validation protocols and proposes targeted research directions to bridge laboratory advances with real-world environmental monitoring.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Fundamental of CuNCs

2.1 Chemical composition and structural properties

2.2 Fluorescence properties

2.3 Sensing mechanisms

3 Synthetic approaches of CuNCs

3.1 Bottom-up method

3.2 Top-down method

3.3 Inter-cluster conversion method

3.4 Monolayer-protected method

3.5 Etching method

3.6 Electrochemical synthesis

3.7 Template method

4 Recent advances of CuNCs for environmental pollutants analysis

4.1 Ions

4.2 Organic pollutants

4.3 Pharmaceutical/Pesticides

4.4 H₂O and H₂O₂

4.5 Biomacromolecules and small biomolecules

4.6 Enzyme activity detection

4.7 Others

5 Conclusions and perspectives

Key words

copper nanoclusters / synthetic approaches / ligand design / environmental pollutant

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Lingwei Hu , Xiangqian Li , Zhuohan Zhou , et al . Fluorescent Copper Nanoclusters： From Synthesis to Environmental Pollutants Sensing[J]. Progress in Chemistry. 2025, 37(12): 1792-1819 https://doi.org/10.7536/PC20250812

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Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province(252300423022)

Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province(252300423540)

Science and Technology Development Plan Project of Henan Province(252102210202)

Key Scientific Research Project of Colleges and Universities in Henan Province(26A140018)

Project of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training for College Students in Henan Province(S202510478047)

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