10.1021/acsami.7b09659.s001 Meizhi Zhao Meizhi Zhao Zhaosheng Qian Zhaosheng Qian Mengting Zhong Mengting Zhong Zhentian Chen Zhentian Chen Hang Ao Hang Ao Hui Feng Hui Feng Fabrication of Stable and Luminescent Copper Nanocluster-Based AIE Particles and Their Application in β‑Galactosidase Activity Assay American Chemical Society 2017 uniform rod-like shapes Luminescent Copper Nanocluster-Based AIE Particles AIE particles luminescence CuNC AIE particles aggregation-induced emission CuNCs AIE particles copper nanocluster 2017-09-01 00:00:00 Journal contribution https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Fabrication_of_Stable_and_Luminescent_Copper_Nanocluster-Based_AIE_Particles_and_Their_Application_in_Galactosidase_Activity_Assay/5398429 Thiolated copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) with aggregation-induced emission characteristic are becoming a novel luminescent material, but it is still a challenging task to retain its bright luminescence in a neutral solution. In this work, we report a new copper nanocluster with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) enhancement property using a hydrophobic molecule as the protecting ligand, and brightly luminescent AIE particles of copper nanocluster were prepared via hydrophobic interaction. These CuNCs AIE particles possess uniform rod-like shapes, with sizes in hundreds of nanometer, and an intense luminescence; more importantly, its luminescence remains stable in neutral and alkaline solutions. It is found that 4-nitrophenol is able to effectively quench the luminescence of CuNC AIE particles through strong hydrophobic interaction and electron transfer between them. This strong quenching effect was adopted to develop a luminescent assay for β-galactosidase at physiological condition. This work presents a demonstration of preparing CuNC AIE particles with bright luminescence at neutral condition and gives an example of the use of AIE particles in monitoring the enzyme activity.