Quantifying the Solution Structure of Metal Nanoclusters Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

Liu，Xindi1; Yang，Huayan2; Chen，Yuxiang3; Yang，Ye4; Porcar，Lionel5; Radulescu，Aurel6; Guldin，Stefan4; Jin，Rongchao3; Stellacci，Francesco7; Luo，Zhi1

2022

10.1002/anie.202209751

ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION   Impact Factor & Quartile

1433-7851

1521-3773

Metal nanoclusters are a unique class of synthetic material, as their crystal structures can be resolved using X-ray diffraction, and their chemical formula can be precisely determinated from mass spectroscopy. However, a complete structure characterization by these two techniques is often a challenging task. Here, we utilize small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to directly quantify the key structure parameters of a series of silver and gold nanoclusters in solution. The results not only correlate well to their crystallographic structures, but also allow the quantification of the counterions layer surrounding charged nanoclusters in solution. Furthermore, when combining with X-ray scattering, it is possible to estimate the molecular weight of both the metal core and the ligand shell of nanoclusters. This work offers an alternative characterization tool for nanoclusters without the requirement of crystallization or gas phase ionization.

Core–Shell Structures Counter-Ions Nanoclusters Neutron Scattering Structure Elucidation

SCI

English

NI Journal Papers

First ; Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China[22272071] ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials[2022B1212010003] ; Shenzhen University[860/000002100182] ; NSF[DMR-0520547] ; European Union[654000]

Chemistry

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

WOS:000860166500001

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

CHEMISTRY

2-s2.0-85138609320

Scopus

1.Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials,Department of Biomedical Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,Guangdong,518055,China
2.School of Biomedical Engineering,Health Science Center,Shenzhen University,Shenzhen,Guangdong,518060,China
3.Department of Chemistry,Carnegie Mellon University,Pittsburgh,15213,United States
4.Department of Chemical Engineering,University College London,London,WC1E 7JE,United Kingdom
5.Institut Laue-Langevin,Grenoble CEDEX 9,BP 156,38042,France
6.Jülich Center for Neutron Science,JCNS at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum,Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH,Garching,85747,Germany
7.Institute of Materials,École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,Lausanne,1015,Switzerland

Liu，Xindi,Yang，Huayan,Chen，Yuxiang,et al. Quantifying the Solution Structure of Metal Nanoclusters Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering[J]. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION,2022.

Liu，Xindi.,Yang，Huayan.,Chen，Yuxiang.,Yang，Ye.,Porcar，Lionel.,...&Luo，Zhi.(2022).Quantifying the Solution Structure of Metal Nanoclusters Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering.ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION.

Liu，Xindi,et al."Quantifying the Solution Structure of Metal Nanoclusters Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering".ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION (2022).