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Related Concept Videos

Formation of Complex Ions03:45

Formation of Complex Ions

A type of Lewis acid-base chemistry involves the formation of a complex ion (or a coordination complex) comprising a central atom, typically a transition metal cation, surrounded by ions or molecules called ligands. These ligands can be neutral molecules like H2O or NH3, or ions such as CN− or OH−. Often, the ligands act as Lewis bases, donating a pair of electrons to the central atom. These types of Lewis acid-base reactions are examples of a broad subdiscipline called coordination...
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Metallic Solids02:37

Metallic Solids

Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Chemical Bonds02:40

Chemical Bonds


Atoms participate in a chemical bond formation to acquire a completed valence-shell electron configuration similar to that of the noble gas nearest to it in atomic number. Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds are some of the important types of chemical bonds. Bond energy and bond length determine the strength of a chemical bond.
Types of Chemical Bonds
An ionic bond is formed due to electrostatic attraction between cations and anions. Often, the ions are formed by the transfer of electrons from...
Network Covalent Solids02:18

Network Covalent Solids

Network covalent solids contain a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded atoms as found in the crystal structures of nonmetals like diamond, graphite, silicon, and some covalent compounds, such as silicon dioxide (sand) and silicon carbide (carborundum, the abrasive on sandpaper). Many minerals have networks of covalent bonds.
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
Colloidal precipitates01:09

Colloidal precipitates

The high insolubility of some precipitates can result in an unfavorable relative supersaturation. This can lead to colloidal particles with a large surface-to-mass ratio, where adsorption is promoted. For instance, in the precipitation of silver chloride, silver ions are adsorbed on the surface of the colloidal particles, forming a primary layer. This layer attracts ions of opposite charge (such as nitrate ions), forming a diffuse secondary layer of adsorbed ions. This electric double layer...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
08:55

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Published on: June 7, 2018

Covalent-like interactions between artificial atoms inside silver supercrystals.

Xun Wang1, Jing Zhuang, Ziyang Huo

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China. wangxun@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

Inorganic Chemistry
|December 20, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Researchers created tunable supercrystals using silver nanocrystals and surfactants. Adjusting surfactant alkyl chain lengths controlled supercrystal size, structure, and exposed crystal facets, advancing artificial atom chemistry.

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Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
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Synthesis, Characterization, and Functionalization of Hybrid Au/CdS and Au/ZnS Core/Shell Nanoparticles

Published on: March 2, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Chemistry

Background:

  • Silver nanocrystals (Ag NCs) are building blocks for advanced materials.
  • Controlling inter-nanocrystal interactions is key to designing functional superstructures.
  • Existing methods for linking nanocrystals have limitations in tunability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a method for forming tunable, anisotropic bonds between Ag NCs.
  • To investigate the role of surfactant alkyl chain length in supercrystal formation.
  • To explore the potential for creating new types of artificial atoms and superstructures.

Main Methods:

  • Introducing two types of surfactants with varying alkyl chain lengths onto Ag NC surfaces.
  • Utilizing these surfactants to mediate the formation of inter-Ag NC linkages.
  • Characterizing the resulting supercrystals to determine size, structure, and exposed crystal planes.

Main Results:

  • Surfactants with long and short alkyl chains successfully mediated the formation of anisotropic bonds between Ag NCs.
  • Altering the length of the short alkyl chains allowed for precise tuning of supercrystal dimensions and morphology.
  • The exposed crystal facets of the Ag NCs within the supercrystals were also controllable.

Conclusions:

  • This surfactant-mediated approach provides a versatile strategy for constructing tunable Ag NC supercrystals.
  • The ability to control supercrystal properties enriches the 'chemical bond' paradigm for artificial atoms.
  • This work lays the foundation for discovering novel functional superstructures with tailored properties.