Metal nanoclusters (NCs), including Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, Ni and alloy NCs, have become more and more popular sensor probes with good solubility, biocompatibility, size-dependent luminescence and catalysis. The development of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) and chemiluminescent (CL) analytical methods based on various metal NCs have become research hotspots. To improve ECL and CL performances, many strategies are proposed, from metal core to ligand, from intermolecular electron transfer to intramolecular electron transfer. Combined with a variety of amplification technology, i.e., nanostructure-based enhancement and biological signal amplification, highly sensitive ECL and CL analytical methods are developed. We have summarized the research progresses since 2016. Also, we discuss the current challenges and perspectives on the development of this area.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used as a sensitive molecular spectroscopy technology in food safety detection. Precise morphology control of plasmonic nanoparticles for high sensitivity and high uniformity SERS substrates remains challenging. Herein, silver decahedral nanoparticles (AgDeNPs) with uniform and adjustable sizes were synthesized by a photochemical seed-mediated method and utilized as SERS substrates for pesticide residue detection. The SERS sensitivity was demonstrated by using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) as a typical model molecule, and the limit of detection (LOD) reached 1.0 × 10⁻¹³ M. The pesticide residue detection of thiram in aqueous solution and on fruit peels was successfully realized; the LODs were 1.0 × 10⁻¹¹ M and 0.96 ng cm⁻², respectively, and SERS repeatability was also proved. Overall, size-tunable AgDeNPs show attractive SERS performances and are expected to hold potential application in sensitive food and environmental safety detection.

A series of functional cross-linked polystyrenes was synthesized by the free radical copolymerization of divinylbenzene with functional styrenes and utilized as heterogeneous catalysts for the coupling of epoxides with CO₂.