Luminescent copper(i) coordination clusters: structure–property relationships, transformation into hybrid functional materials, and emerging optoelectronic applications
- 1Advanced Materials and Microelectronics Laboratory, CANDLE Synchrotron Research Institute 31 Acharyan Yerevan 0022 Armenia
- 2Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory Yerevan 0036 Armenia
- 3Soil and Water Resources Engineering, Armenian National Agrarian University Yerevan 0025 Armenia
Abstract
Atomically precise luminescent copper(i) coordination clusters have emerged as a sustainable, earth-abundant, and structurally versatile class of materials, offering a compelling alternative to noble-metal (Au, Ag) luminophores. This review comprehensively addresses recent advances spanning the period 2020 to 2026 in the rational design, photophysical characterization, and functional hybridization of these clusters. We systematically discuss nuclearity control (Cu2 to Cu22), ligand engineering strategies, and the structure–property relationships that govern emission color and quantum yield, with particular emphasis on Cu⋯Cu metallophilic interactions, tetrahedral distortion parameter (Δθ), and ligand rigidity. The roles of metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT), ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT), cluster-centered (CC) transitions, and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are critically analyzed. Sonochemical synthesis is evaluated as a potentially useful laboratory-scale approach for accelerating nucleation and facilitating in situ hybridization; however, its scalability, passivation efficiency and ability to suppress aggregation-caused quenching remain to be demonstrated through matched comparisons with conventional routes. The review further explores the transformation of discrete Cu(i) clusters into advanced hybrid functional materials incorporating polymer matrices, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), oxide supports, and carbon-based scaffolds. Emerging applications in chemical sensing, TADF-based optoelectronics (ΦPL up to 99.9%, EQE >35%), and visible-light photocatalysis are critically evaluated. Challenges including Cu(i) oxidation susceptibility, ACQ, and synthetic scalability are addressed, and future directions including defect engineering, machine-learning-assisted design, and sonochemical hybridization are proposed.
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BibTeX
@article{anjo2026luminescent,
title = {{Luminescent copper(i) coordination clusters: structure–property relationships, transformation into hybrid functional materials, and emerging optoelectronic applications}},
author = {L. Anjo and N. Ananikian and G. Amatuni and V. Avagyan and M. Ivanyan and G. Davoodi},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra07011f},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13655789},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Luminescent copper(i) coordination clusters: structure–property relationships, transformation into hybrid functional materials, and emerging optoelectronic applications
AU - L. Anjo
AU - N. Ananikian
AU - G. Amatuni
AU - V. Avagyan
AU - M. Ivanyan
AU - G. Davoodi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra07011f
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13655789
AB - Atomically precise luminescent copper(i) coordination clusters have emerged as a sustainable, earth-abundant, and structurally versatile class of materials, offering a compelling alternative to noble-metal (Au, Ag) luminophores. This review comprehensively addresses recent advances spanning the period 2020 to 2026 in the rational design, photophysical characterization, and functional hybridization of these clusters. We systematically discuss nuclearity control (Cu2 to Cu22), ligand engineering strategies, and the structure–property relationships that govern emission color and quantum yield, with particular emphasis on Cu⋯Cu metallophilic interactions, tetrahedral distortion parameter (Δθ), and ligand rigidity. The roles of metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT), ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT), cluster-centered (CC) transitions, and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are critically analyzed. Sonochemical synthesis is evaluated as a potentially useful laboratory-scale approach for accelerating nucleation and facilitating in situ hybridization; however, its scalability, passivation efficiency and ability to suppress aggregation-caused quenching remain to be demonstrated through matched comparisons with conventional routes. The review further explores the transformation of discrete Cu(i) clusters into advanced hybrid functional materials incorporating polymer matrices, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), oxide supports, and carbon-based scaffolds. Emerging applications in chemical sensing, TADF-based optoelectronics (ΦPL up to 99.9%, EQE >35%), and visible-light photocatalysis are critically evaluated. Challenges including Cu(i) oxidation susceptibility, ACQ, and synthetic scalability are addressed, and future directions including defect engineering, machine-learning-assisted design, and sonochemical hybridization are proposed.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -