Themed collection Metal nanoclusters

Sukhendu Mandal, Di Sun, Yuichi Negishi and Anindita Das introduce the Nanoscale themed collection on metal nanoclusters.

This review focuses on the structure–property correlation and bioimaging application of luminescent metal nanoclusters, which feature atomically precise structures, diverse optical properties and excellent biocompatibility.

Atomically precise metal clusters for electrocatalytic and photocatalytic H₂ production are systematically summarized, which is expected to provide new insights into the design of high-performance H₂ production catalysts.

This minireview outlines recent progress in synthetic strategies, photophysical, surface reactivity, and catalytic properties of Ag(0)-containing ligand-protected atomically precise silver nanoclusters.

Development of intriguing structures, physiochemical properties, and applications due to CuAgCN synergism.

Schematic representation of the structural regulation strategy and progress of Fe–S clusters.

The potential of circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence spectroscopies to unravel the structure–chiroptical properties of ligand-protected, atomically precise noble metal clusters is discussed.

Integrate four structural compositions of organophosphate, 3d transition metal, 4f lanthanide and polyoxoniobate at the molecular level, to form a nanowire structure.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grow with a controlled diameter via the ‘seed method’ in which in situ-prepared nanoparticles, using metal clusters as seeds, catalytically decompose syngas and realize CNT growth.

Designing nanoclusters with tailored characteristics: utilizing sulfide to tune near-infrared emission in Ag-rich Pd alloys.

An alkaline-like Ta-encapsulating Si₁₆ superatom film was fabricated on a C₆₀ substrate. Charge transfer between Ta@Si₁₆ and C₆₀ lowers the work function. In the multilayer film, the central Ta atom's positive charge is compensated by the Si₁₆ cage.

Density functional theory and microkinetic modeling show that an Au@NiO core–shell nanostructure enhances the oxidative esterification of aldehydes by electron transfer from NiO to Au, stabilizing intermediates and lowering activation energies.

H₂ and CO adsorption/desorption properties of [PtAu₈(PPh₃)₈]-H[PMo₁₂O₄₀] were studied and H₂ was faster adsorbed on [PtAu₈(PPh₃)₈] than through narrow channels than CO which involved [PtAu₈(PPh₃)₈] structural isomerization.

OER/ORR activity for transition metal subnano clusters catalysts (TM_n, n = 7–15), reshaping the bifunctional activity at the subnanometer regime, replacing the Pt(111) surface and IrO₂/RuO₂ with Au₁₁ clusters from the peak of the activity volcano.

Characterization of neutral metal hydride–hydroxide hydrogen-bonded clusters HMOH(H₂O)₂ (M = Al and Ga) using infrared-vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations.

The relationship between the atomic-level structure and the photoelectrochemical water splitting reaction of Au_xCu_1−x nanoalloys on titania nanotubes photoanodes was investigated.

By mimicking biomineralization, this study introduces a facile approach to incorporate Au₂₂SG₁₈ nanoclusters within different polymorphs of CaCO₃ and reveal that variations in the nanocluster photoluminescence are linked to the polymorph stability.

In this contribution, we present the reticular synthesis of two novel (3,6)-connected three-dimensional and two-dimensional silver cluster-assembled materials TUS 6 and TUS 7.

The adsorption of CO and oxygen and CO oxidation on size-selected Pt₁₀ clusters were studied by indirect nanoplasmonic sensing (INPS) in the pressure range of 1–100 Pa at T = 418 K.

The controlled growth and stability of transition metal clusters on N-doped materials have become the subject of intense investigation for unveiling comprehension on the cluster growth evolution.

The loading amount and durability of the carbon-supported Au₂₅ cluster catalyst were successfully enhanced by introducing bulky, dendron thiolates, due to (1) strong non-covalent interactions between ligands and support, and (2) steric repulsion.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and molecular dynamics simulations probe how DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters fragment.

Self-assembled thiol-templated CuNCs display NIR-TADF emission which can be modulated by solvent, accompanied by remarkable change in the morphology. The electronic structure of the surface ligands can also be used to tailor the properties of CuNCs.

An Au nanocluster (NC)-based photodynamic antibacterial is designed by conjugating arginine on the surface of Au₂₂ NCs, achieving healing of bacteria-infected wounds via producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS).

A novel approach was developed for the first time by combining ultrasmall Au₂₂ nanoclusters with boronic acid (BA) affinity chemistry, achieving highly efficient enrichment of early-stage glycated peptides.

Pd₃ nanoclusters on Al₂O₃ supports were activated by reducing agents. The activity and selectivity of the catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde was a function of both the identity and loading of the reducing agent used.

The final structures after the collision of icosahedral nanoparticles with fcc ones depend on composition. Icosahedral final structures are obtained when colliding AuPd clusters, while collisions of pure Pd clusters leads to fcc structures.

The first example of a metallasilsesquioxane/phosphazene compound, a Cu₉Na₄-based complex, exhibits high catalytic activity in toluene oxidation.

Gold (Au) nanocatalysts present outstanding activity for many reactions and have long attracted much attention, but the size effect of sub-nano-clusters on catalytic activity lacks systematic research.

This work presents electronic state modulation of Ag₃₀ nanoclusters within a ring-shaped polyoxometalate: oxidation-state modulation by changing the synthetic conditions and charge-distribution modulation by protonation of a polyoxometalate ligand.

Extended family of cage like Cu4-phenylsilsesquioxanes exhibits unique features of (supra)molecular organization and catalytic activity.

A one-pot method for creating self-assembled Au–Ag bimetallic mesostructures using a reaction between atomically precise gold nanoclusters and plasmonic silver nanoparticles.

Silver cluster–DNA conjugates catalyze alkyne–azide cycloadditions. The catalytic activity of the cluster is regulated by the DNA host.

The reactivity of [Rh₇(CO)₁₆]³⁻ with InCl₃ led to the isolation of three new clusters, including [Rh₁₂In(CO)₂₈]³⁻, which extends the [Rh₁₂E(CO)₂₇]ⁿ⁻ series (E = Sn, Ge, Sb, Bi). Its multivalence has been experimentally and theoretically unravelled.

A new insight for accurately interpreting the excited state lifetime has been provided, which is highly misunderstood due to the incomplete decay in heterogeneous luminescent nanomaterials.

Here we demonstrate the synthesis of atomically precise Ag₁₆ NCs and their photophysical properties. The solvent-dependent relaxation dynamics using ultrafast spectroscopy has been investigated.

We report the synthesis, structure analysis, and electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction application of alkynyl-protected Ag₁₉Cu₂ nanoclusters, which exhibited high selectivity of CO formation and robust stability in eCO₂RR.

A series of heterometallic Sn–Ti oxo clusters was prepared using inorganic tin precursors and polyhydroxyalkane stabilizing ligands, which exhibited record-high nuclearity and different electrocatalytic behaviours.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy is utilized to study the distribution of Au and Ag within the metal core of the Au₁₀₄Ag₄₀(PET)₆₀ nanocluster, revealing a Ag single-atom alloy structure associated with unique bonding properties.

Ligand coordination modes dictate solution structure of [Cu₁₂S₆] clusters.

We studied the effects of metal and molecular cations on the aggregation of atomically precise monolayer-protected nanoclusters (MPCs) in an explicit solvent using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations.

By combining experimental studies and time-dependent density functional theory simulations, we show the formation of insulin–Au(III) conjugates diplaying charge transfer-like excitation in the visible range.

The alloying of rod-shaped Au₂₅ nanoclusters with Cu atoms significantly enhanced the triplet sensitization and near-infrared photon upconversion properties when paired with 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene annihilators.

The chromophore-spacer length controls the cis-trans isomerization of azobenzene ligands in precision nanoclusters and regulates the kinetics of self-assembled superstructure formation.

A photodynamic antibacterial agent was created by encapsulating Ag₂₈Au₁ NCs in ZIF-8. This agent can eliminate 97.7% of E. coli and 91.6% of S. aureus within 5 minutes under light, promoting effective healing of bacteria-infected wounds.

Strong core–shell (Ir–Au_n) electronic coupling significantly expands the energy gap, resulting in a weak nonadiabatic coupling matrix element, which in turn increases the carrier lifetime.

The excited state lifetimes of neutral (Al)_n clusters up to ∼1 nm in diameter in size, where n ≤ 43, are systematically measured with femtosecond time-resolved mass spectrometry.

Site-specific linkage of tri-anionic silver nanoclusters with tetrahedrally arranged bridging sites by alkali metal counter cations leads to various network structures.

A new analytical method to determine the absorption coefficient of DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters by combining UV-Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry.

We report a Au₉Ag₆ cluster characterized by a distinctive bi-decahedral core, formed through two decahedra sharing one vertex. This marks the first occurrence of a cluster of clusters constructed from decahedral units.

The structural isomers of Cu₂₂ exhibit significant differences in the copper-catalyzed [3 + 2] azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC), which offers a valuable opportunity to investigate the structure-function relationship of copper nanoclusters.

Two superatomic silver nanoclusters (Ag₁₇ and Ag₃₂) with similar outer shells were constructed by adjusting phosphine ligands, and their PL intensity and QY varied greatly because of the different surface rigidity.

A highly luminescent Au₃₉(SR)₂₉ nanocluster is obtained, with its emission at 915 nm and 19% quantum yield in solution and 32% in films at room temperature.

The addition of Ag(I) and Cu(I) by doping of a two-electron silver superatom, [Ag₁₀(dtp)₈], leads to the formation of [Ag₁₁(dtp)₈]⁺ and [Cu_xAg_11−x(dtp)₈]⁺, exhibiting a notable shift in the absorption spectrum.