Ag₉ Quantum Cluster through a Solid-State Route

Abstract

A silver cluster having the composition Ag(9)(H(2)MSA)(7) (H(2)MSA = mercaptosuccinic acid) was synthesized in macroscopic quantities using a solid-state route. The clusters were purified by PAGE and characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, luminescence, and NMR spectroscopy, TEM, XPS, XRD, TG, SEM/EDAX, elemental analysis, and ESI MS. The solid-state route provides nearly pure Ag(9) clusters, and nanoparticle contamination was insignificant for routine studies. Formation of various clusters was observed by modifying the conditions. The effect of ligands on the synthesis was checked. The cluster decomposed slowly in water, and the decomposition followed first-order kinetics. However, it could be stabilized in solvent mixtures and in the solid state. Such materials may be important in cluster research because of their characteristic absorption profiles, which are similar to those of Au(25) and Au(38). The cluster showed luminescence with a quantum yield of 8 × 10(-3) at 5 °C.

Application of Mass Spectrometry in the Synthesis and Characterization of Metal Nanoclusters

“…Recently, Dass et al demonstrated that almost no fragmentation of Au nanoclusters was observed in the MALDI-TOF mass spectra of Au 25 (SC 2 H 4 Ph) 18 clusters by using trans-2-[3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-methyl-2-propenyldidene] malononitrile (DCTB) as matrix. 30 When DCTB was used as matrix, only a dominant peak around 7391 Da was produced, corresponding well to the molecular ion of the Au 25 (SC 2 H 4 Ph) 18 cluster, indicating that the ligands remain intact on the gold cluster core. Moreover, the high-resolution MALDI spectrum agrees well with the simulated isotopic distribution.…”

Isolation and Tandem Mass Spectrometric Identification of a Stable Monolayer Protected Silver–Palladium Alloy Cluster

“…28,51 The assignment can be made based on the molecular ion peak and various charged species of the parent ion. Comparison with the corresponding calculated spectrum can be useful.…”

Simple and Efficient Separation of Atomically Precise Noble Metal Clusters

“…[1][2][3] Most of the reports on such clusters are concerned with gold but a few analogues of silver and copper have also appeared in the literature. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Molecules such as Au25SR18, [11][12][13] Au38SR24 14 and Au144SR60 15 are some of the most stable species in this family of materials. Catalytic and biological applications of such materials are fast evolving.…”