A research team has successfully synthesized a metal nanocluster and determined its crystal structure. Their study provides experimental evidence for understanding and designing nanoclusters with specific properties at the atomic level. Metal nanoclusters have wide-ranging applications in the biomedical field.
Their work is published in the journal Polyoxometalates.
Scientists have shown interest in ligand-protected atomically precise metal nanoclusters because they have definite atomic structures and exceptional physical and chemical properties. These properties include attributes such as luminescence, chirality, electrochemistry, and catalysis.
Because of these properties, metal nanoclusters hold promise as ideal model catalysts. With their ultrasmall size, these nanoclusters demonstrate high catalytic activity and are selective in many catalytic reactions.
Ligand-protected metal nanoclusters are ultra-small organic–inorganic nanostructures that demonstrate high stability at specific compositions. Because of their tunable properties, they have the potential for a variety of nanotechnology-based applications.
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