Structures of medium sized tin cluster anions

Area of Science:

• * Physical Chemistry
• * Materials Science
• * Nanotechnology

Background:

• * Understanding the structural evolution of medium-sized metal clusters is crucial for predicting their properties.
• * Tin cluster anions offer a unique system to study bonding and growth mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To determine the structures of tin cluster anions Sn(n)(-) for n = 16-29.
• * To elucidate the growth patterns and fragmentation mechanisms of these tin clusters.

Main Methods:

• * Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations for structural prediction.
• * Trapped Ion Electron Diffraction (TIED) for experimental structure determination.
• * Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) for fragmentation analysis.

Main Results:

• * Predominantly prolate structures were identified for Sn(n)(-) (n=16-29).
• * A recurring structural motif based on Sn(7), Sn(9), and Sn(10) subunits was observed.
• * Tin clusters exhibit a
• pearl-chain
• growth mode, with fission as the dominant fragmentation channel in CID experiments.

Conclusions:

• * The stability of subunit clusters dictates the overall structure and growth of larger tin anions.
• * The observed growth pattern challenges conventional cluster assembly theories.
• * Tin cluster anions provide insights into the fundamental principles governing nanoscale material formation.