Cocrystallization of Two Negatively Charged Dimercaptomaleonitrile-Stabilized Silver Nanoclusters

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Crystallography

Background:

• Atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) are crucial in nanomaterials.
• Their assembly and structural diversity are areas of intense research interest.
• Cocrystals of NCs are rare, especially those involving multiple negatively charged clusters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the cocrystallization of two specific negatively charged silver nanoclusters.
• To investigate the structural characteristics of these cocrystallized NCs.
• To expand the known structural diversity within silver NCs and cluster-based cocrystals.

Main Methods:

• Cocrystallization of [Ag62(MNT)24(TPP)6]8- and [Ag22(MNT)12(TPP)4]4- silver nanoclusters in a 1:2 ratio.
• Single-crystal structure determination to analyze the arrangement and structure of the NCs.
• Adjustment of synthetic conditions to isolate individual NC components.

Main Results:

• Successfully achieved cocrystallization of two distinct negatively charged silver NCs.
• Both component NCs, [Ag62(MNT)24(TPP)6]8- and [Ag22(MNT)12(TPP)4]4-, exhibit core-shell structures.
• Individual NCs were successfully isolated by modifying synthesis parameters.

Conclusions:

• This work presents a rare cocrystal containing two types of negatively charged silver nanoclusters.
• The findings enrich the structural diversity of silver NCs.
• The study expands the family of cluster-based cocrystals, offering new avenues for materials design.