Synthesis of molecular gold clusters with luminescence properties by mercaptide, thermolysis in polimer matrices

Highly fluorescent Au/polystyrene nanocomposite films have been prepared by thermal decomposition at 250°C of gold mercaptide molecules (dodecyl-mercaptide of gold(I), C12H25SAu) dissolved in polystyrene. Owing to a continuous nucleation of metallic phae generated by the thermolysis reaction, molecular gold clusters, which are characterized by fluorescence properties because of the very small size, can be obtained by this very simple technique.