IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v9y2018i1d10.1038_s41467-018-04410-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Revealing isoelectronic size conversion dynamics of metal nanoclusters by a noncrystallization approach

Author

Listed:
  • Qiaofeng Yao

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Victor Fung

    (University of California)

  • Cheng Sun

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Sida Huang

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Tiankai Chen

    (National University of Singapore)

  • De-en Jiang

    (University of California)

  • Jim Yang Lee

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Jianping Xie

    (National University of Singapore)

Abstract

Atom-by-atom engineering of nanomaterials requires atomic-level knowledge of the size evolution mechanism of nanoparticles, which remains one of the greatest mysteries in nanochemistry. Here we reveal atomic-level dynamics of size evolution reaction of molecular-like nanoparticles, i.e., nanoclusters (NCs) by delicate mass spectrometry (MS) analyses. The model size-conversion reaction is [Au23(SR)16]− → [Au25(SR)18]− (SR = thiolate ligand). We demonstrate that such isoelectronic (valence electron count is 8 in both NCs) size-conversion occurs by a surface-motif-exchange-induced symmetry-breaking core structure transformation mechanism, surfacing as a definitive reaction of [Au23(SR)16]− + 2 [Au2(SR)3]− → [Au25(SR)18]− + 2 [Au(SR)2]−. The detailed tandem MS analyses further suggest the bond susceptibility hierarchies in feed and final Au NCs, shedding mechanistic light on cluster reaction dynamics at atomic level. The MS-based mechanistic approach developed in this study also opens a complementary avenue to X-ray crystallography to reveal size evolution kinetics and dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiaofeng Yao & Victor Fung & Cheng Sun & Sida Huang & Tiankai Chen & De-en Jiang & Jim Yang Lee & Jianping Xie, 2018. "Revealing isoelectronic size conversion dynamics of metal nanoclusters by a noncrystallization approach," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04410-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04410-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04410-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-018-04410-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04410-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.