Work

Topology-enforced synthesis of atomically precise silver nanoclusters in 3D DNA lattices

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: DNA nanotechnology leverages the molecular design resolution of the DNA double helix to fold and tile matter into designer architectures. Recent advances in bioinorganic chemistry have exploited DNA/Ag + affinity to carry out the templated reduction of silver nanoclusters. Here, we develop a unified method that leverages the topology of DNA triangles with embedded silver base pairs to nucleate controlled cluster growth in a mesoporous 3D lattice. Use of confocal fluorescence microscopy allows for the direct observation of reaction kinetics and reconstruction of the optical bandgap. These crystals yield molecular structures of Ag 4 and Ag 6 by x-ray diffraction in varying pyrimidine:pyrimidine pairs. Intercluster distances of less than 2 nanometers show observable electronic coupling, with red shifting observed relative to literature standards. A thorough computational investigation establishes a theoretical basis for our observed behavior and establishes the interplay between cluster size, charge, geometry, and resonance. We anticipate that these results will yield advances in materials synthesis, DNA-based plasmonic crystals, and optically active nanoelectronics.

Source: Science Advances

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec2365