Search results for "Nanoclusters"
showing 10 items of 164 documents
Embryonic Growth of Face-Center-Cubic Silver Nanoclusters Shaped in Nearly Perfect Half-Cubes and Cubes.
2016
Demonstrated herein are the preparation and crystallographic characterization of the family of fcc silver nanoclusters from Nichol’s cube to Rubik’s cube and beyond via ligand-control (thiolates and phosphines in this case). The basic building block is our previously reported fcc cluster [Ag14(SPhF2)12(PPh3)8] (1). The metal frameworks of [Ag38(SPhF2)26(PR′3)8] (22) and [Ag63(SPhF2)36(PR′3)8]+ (23), where HSPhF2 = 3,4-difluorothiophenol and R′ = alkyl/aryl, are composed of 2 × 2 = 4 and 2 × 2 × 2 = 8 metal cubes of 1, respectively. All serial clusters share similar surface structural features. The thiolate ligands cap the six faces and the 12 edges of the cube (or half cube) while the phosp…
Exploring Strategies for Labeling Viruses with Gold Nanoclusters through Non-equilibrium Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
2017
Biocompatible gold nanoclusters can be utilized as contrast agents in virus imaging. The labeling of viruses can be achieved noncovalently but site-specifically by linking the cluster to the hydrophobic pocket of a virus via a lipid-like pocket factor. We have estimated the binding affinities of three different pocket factors of echovirus 1 (EV1) in molecular dynamics simulations combined with non-equilibrium free-energy calculations. We have also studied the effects on binding affinities with a pocket factor linked to the Au102pMBA44 nanocluster in different protonation states. Although the absolute binding affinities are over-estimated for all the systems, the trend is in agreement with r…
Core‐Selective Silver‐Doping of Gold Nanoclusters by Surface‐Bound Sulphates on Colloidal Templates: From Synthetic Mechanism to Relaxation Dynamics
2022
Funding Information: This work was carried out under the ERC Advanced grant (DRIVEN, ERC‐2016‐AdG‐742829), Academy of Finland's Centre of Excellence in Life‐Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER, 346108), Academy of Finland (No. 321443, 328942, 308647, and 318891) and Photonic Research and Innovation (PREIN) as well as FinnCERES flagships. L.F. and X.C. thanks for support from CSC (IT Center for Science, Finland) for providing computation resources. The authors acknowledge the provision of facilities and technical support by Aalto University OtaNano – Nanomicroscopy Center (Aalto‐NMC). | openaire: EC/H2020/742829/EU//DRIVEN Ultra-small luminescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have gained substantia…
[Pt2Cu34(PET)22Cl4]2–: An Atomically Precise, 10-Electron PtCu Bimetal Nanocluster with a Direct Pt–Pt Bond
2021
Heteroatom-doped metal nanoclusters (NCs) are highly desirable to gain fundamental insights into the effect of doping on the electronic structure and catalytic properties. Unfortunately, their controlled synthesis is highly challenging when the metal atomic sizes are largely different (e.g., Cu and Pt). Here, we design a metal-exchange strategy that enables simultaneous doping and resizing of NCs. Specifically, [Pt2Cu34(PET)22Cl4]2- NC, the first example of a Pt-doped Cu NC, is synthesized by utilizing the unique reactivity of [Cu32(PET)24Cl2H8]2- NC with Pt4+ ions. The single-crystal X-ray structure reveals that two directly bonded Pt atoms occupy the two centers of an unusually interpenet…
[Cu32(PET)24H8Cl2](PPh4)2: A Copper Hydride Nanocluster with a Bisquare Antiprismatic Core
2020
Atomically precise coinage metal (Au, Ag, and Cu) nanoclusters (NCs) have been the subject of immense interest for their intriguing structural, photophysical, and catalytic properties. However, the synthesis of Cu NCs is highly challenging because of low reduction potential and high reactivity of copper, demonstrating the need for new synthetic methods using appropriate ligand combinations. By designing a diamine-assisted synthetic strategy, here we report the synthesis and total structure characterization of a box-like dianionic Cu NC [Cu32(PET)24H8Cl2](PPh4)2 coprotected by 2-phenylethanethiolate (PET), hydride, and chloride ligands. Its crystal structure comprises a rare bisquare antipri…
Reversible isomerization of metal nanoclusters induced by intermolecular interaction
2021
Most inorganic nanoparticles are directly surface-terminated (and -stabilized) by protecting ligands, which could greatly affect the atomic packing and physical/chemical properties of their inorganic cores. Here, we show that the intermolecular interactions between the adsorbed molecules and surface ligands can also affect the core structure of inorganic nanoparticles. Through the coupling/decoupling of cationic surfactants (cetyltrimethylammonium cations, CTA+) and anionic surface ligands (para-mercaptobenzoic acid, p-MBA) in the aqueous phase, we have achieved a reversible transformation between two isomers of [Au25(p-MBA)18]− nanoclusters. The interconversion process between the two isom…
Adenosine monophosphate-capped gold(i) nanoclusters: synthesis and lanthanide ion-induced enhancement of their luminescence
2016
Reduction of Au3+ in the presence of just adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) and a zwitterionic organic chemical buffering agent, specifically 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES), combined with light exposure, gives rise to luminescent, water-soluble Au+ nanoclusters (Au+ NCs). The photoluminescence of these NCs is considerably enhanced by adding Y3+ or the chemically similar Yb3+ lanthanide that leads to Au+/Y3+ and Au+/Yb3+ NCs, respectively. These NCs are characterised by absorption (steady-state), photoluminescence (steady-state and time-resolved), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
Photonic-crystal silicon-nanocluster light-emitting device
2006
We report on enhanced light extraction from a light-emitting device based on amorphous silicon nanoclusters, suitable for very-large-scale integration, and operating at room temperature. Standard low-cost optical lithography is employed to fabricate a two-dimensional photonic crystal onto the device. We measured a vertical emission with the extracted radiation enhanced by over a factor of 4, without the aid of any buried reflector. These achievements demonstrate that a cost-effective exploitation of photonic crystals is indeed within the reach of semiconductor industry and open the way to a new generation of nanostructured silicon devices in which photonic and electronic functions are integ…
Ag5 nanoclusters with dual catalytic antiradical activities
2022
Silver nanoclusters of five atoms (Ag5) display outstanding catalytic activities for the deactivation of radicals. Using 2,2-diphenyl-1‑picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical as a model system, we observed a fast radical reduction to DPPH anions using only [Ag5] 3 to 4 orders of magnitude less than [DPPH]. Moreover, nanoclusters remain stable at the end of the reaction, and can deactivate again DPPH radicals at the same rate, indicating that they act as anti-radical catalysts. The radical scavenger catalytic activity of Ag5 proceeds selectively through the oxidation of methanol (used to dissolve the radical) to formaldehyde, which is supported by DFT calculations. The obtained catalytic rate constan…
Preparation of nanostructures composed of dextran sulfate/ruthenium nanoparticles and their interaction with phospholipid monolayers at a liquid–liqu…
2007
Abstract Nanostructures composed of dextran sulfate (DS)/ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles (NPs) adsorbed on phospholipid monolayers at a liquid–liquid interface were prepared and characterized electrochemically in relation to their potential use in drug delivery systems. First, positively charged Ru NPs were prepared, and then negatively charged DS was adsorbed on the surface of the NPs, thus forming well-defined and organized structures, as observed under the transmission electron microscope, which are referred to composite nanoclusters. The lipid monolayers were formed by depositing either 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phospho- …