Structural Engineering toward Gold Nanocluster Catalysis

Abstract

Atomically precise gold nanoclusters provide great opportunities to explore the relationship between the structure and properties of nanogold catalysts. A nanocluster consists of a metal core and a surface ligand shell, and both the core and shell have significant effects on the catalytic properties. Thanks to their precise structures, the active metal site of the clusters can be readily identified and the effects of ligands on catalysis can be disclosed. In this Minireview, we summarize recent advances in catalytic research of gold nanoclusters, emphasizing four strategies for constructing open metal sites, including by post‐treatment, the bulky ligands strategy, the surface geometric mismatch method, and heteroatom doping procedures. We also discuss the effects of ligands on the catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability of gold cluster catalysts. Finally, we present future challenges relating to gold cluster catalysis.

Bimetallic Sites for Catalysis: From Binuclear Metal Sites to Bimetallic Nanoclusters and Nanoparticles

“…Wet-chemistry synthesis is one of the most widely used and versatile methods for the production of bimetallic nanoclusters. The general principle for this method is usually to reduce the two metal precursors simultaneously in the presence of solvent and/or capping agents (polymers or ligands) to form monodispersed bimetallic nanoclusters. , The growth kinetics of the two metal elements should be carefully controlled to obtain the desired materials with narrow size distribution and high uniformity in chemical compositions. By tuning the synthesis parameters (precursor, solvent, capping agent, reductant, temperature, reaction time, etc.…”

Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters as Single Electron Transferers for Hydroborylation

“…Atomically precise metal nanoclusters (ultrasmall metal nanoparticles) are emerging nanomaterials that have attracted wide attention in catalysis due to their special sizes, tunable compositions and structures, and insightful structure–property correlations. − However, the catalytic applications of such materials lag behind their structural discovery, partly due to the fact that the ligands inhibit the surface catalytic sites although they can effectively stabilize metal nanoclusters. − The removal of surface ligands is expected to improve the catalytic activity, while decreasing the stability of metal nanoclusters. Thus, exploitation of the catalytic activity without ligand removal is a good choice but constitutes a challenge in the scientific community.…”

Insights into the effect of regulation of molecular composition on the properties of (AuAg)9clusters

“…The rapid development of precise nanoclusters has enabled nanoclusters to be used in many fields such as optics, electricity, and catalysis. 1–10 The monodisperse sizes, precise compositions, and accurate configurations of metal nanoclusters make them good templates for obtaining insights into the relationship between structures and properties at the atomic level, which in turn promotes the rational construction of new nanoclusters with customized performances. 11–18…”

“…The rapid development of precise nanoclusters has enabled nanoclusters to be used in many fields such as optics, electricity, and catalysis. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The monodisperse sizes, precise compositions, and accurate configurations of metal nanoclusters make them good templates for obtaining insights into the relationship between structures and properties at the atomic level, which in turn promotes the rational construction of new nanoclusters with customized performances. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] For efficiently controlling the construction and compositions of nanoclusters at the atomic level to tune their properties, an alloying strategy for the manipulation of metal composition and a ligand-engineering strategy for the regu-lation of the surface structure have often been reported.…”