Aluminum nanocrystals (Al NCs) with a welldefined size and shape combine unique plasmonic properties with high earth abundance, potentially ideal for applications where sustainability and cost are important factors. It has recently been shown that single-crystal Al {100} nanocubes can be synthesized by the decomposition of AlH 3 with Tebbe's reagent, a titanium-(IV) catalyst with two cyclopentadienyl ligands. By systematically modifying the catalyst molecular structure, control of the NC growth morphology is observed spectroscopically, as the catalyst stabilizes the {100} NC facets. By varying the catalyst concentration, Al NC faceted growth is tunable from {100} faceted nanocubes to {111} faceted octahedra. This study provides direct insight into the role of catalyst molecular structure in controlling Al NC morphology.
In view of a limited rationale available for designing metal nanocrystals (NCs) to achieve high catalytic activities across various chemical transformations, we offer a new perspective on the optimization of...
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