Tailoring carbon-encapsulated gold nanoclusters via microchip laser ablation in polystyrene solution: controlling size, structure, and photoluminescent properties†

The desired control of size, structure, and optical properties of laser-derived carbon-encapsulated metal nanoclusters (NCs) is crucial for various applications. This study introduces a novel approach utilizing a microchip laser (MCL) ablation for preparing carbon-encapsulated gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) in a toluene solution, employing polystyrene as a stabilizing agent. Through systematic experiments, control over NC size and carbon layer thickness is achieved by adjusting laser power and polystyrene concentration. Lower laser power combined with higher polystyrene concentration yields smaller Au NCs with thinner carbon layers, demonstrating the efficacy of this approach. Additionally, the prepared nanostructures exhibit enhanced photoluminescence properties, with emissions dependent on excitation wavelength and carbon layer thickness. These findings underscore the potential of MCL-based pulsed laser ablation in liquid in deriving carbon-encapsulated metal NCs, highlighting the importance of experimental parameters and solvent characteristics in tailoring NC properties.