Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Metal-Ligand Bonds02:51

Metal-Ligand Bonds

24.0K
The hemoglobin in the blood, the chlorophyll in green plants, vitamin B-12, and the catalyst used in the manufacture of polyethylene all contain coordination compounds. Ions of the metals, especially the transition metals, are likely to form complexes.
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
24.0K
Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes01:09

Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes

802
In complexation reactions, metal cations are the electron pair acceptors, and the ligands are the electron pair donors. The stability of the metal complexes depends primarily on the complexing ability of the central metal ion and the nature of the ligands. Generally, the complexing ability of the metal ion depends on the size and charge of the ion. As the metal ion size increases, the stability of the metal complexes decreases, provided that the valency of the metal ion and the ligands remain...
802
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

30.6K
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...
30.6K
Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect01:19

Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect

1.2K
In complexation reactions, metal atoms or cations interact with ligands to form donor-acceptor adducts called metal complexes. Ligands that bind through one donor site are monodentate, ligands with two donor sites are bidentate, and those with more than two donor sites are polydentate ligands. For example, ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms, forming a five-membered ring. EDTA is a polydentate ligand that binds through four oxygen and two nitrogen...
1.2K
Valence Bond Theory02:42

Valence Bond Theory

11.2K
Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
11.2K
Formation of Complex Ions03:45

Formation of Complex Ions

25.7K
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...
25.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Unlocking Interfacial Binder Chemistry for Efficient Li<sup>+</sup> Desolvation in 3C-Rate Lithium Metal Pouch Cells.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Multi-emissive metal nanoclusters: luminescence origin, tailoring strategies, and biomedical applications.

Nanoscale·2026
Same author

Phase-Separated Condensates of Atomically Precise Nanoclusters Enable Direct Visualization of Nano-Bio Interactions.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

Surface coordination engineering of gold nanoclusters with Sc<sup>3+</sup> for selective fluorescent detection of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.

Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy·2026
Same author

Synchronizing Tunable Luminescence and Shape Morphing in a Metal Nanocluster-Enabled Hydrogel Platform.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Direct Seawater Hydrogen Evolution via Atomically Precise Regulation of Interfacial pH and Ion-Water Interactions.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
11:33

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

Published on: January 19, 2018

10.2K

Ligand-Regulated Long-Lived Charge Transfer Dynamics in Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters.

Hao-Hua Deng1, Kai-Yuan Huang1, Xin Huang1

  • 1Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China.

Nano Letters
|September 20, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Bulky ligands enhance charge separation in metal nanoclusters (NCs) by improving charge transfer dynamics. This leads to more efficient photocatalysis and photovoltaics applications for these advanced materials.

Keywords:
electron hoppinginterfacial charge transferligand sizelight energy conversionmetal nanocluster

More Related Videos

Ligand-Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Palladium Metal Nanoparticles
11:54

Ligand-Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Palladium Metal Nanoparticles

Published on: June 25, 2018

10.7K
High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles
09:56

High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles

Published on: June 28, 2019

6.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2026

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
11:33

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

Published on: January 19, 2018

10.2K
Ligand-Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Palladium Metal Nanoparticles
11:54

Ligand-Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Palladium Metal Nanoparticles

Published on: June 25, 2018

10.7K
High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles
09:56

High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles

Published on: June 28, 2019

6.2K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Photochemistry
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Ligand-mediated long-lived charge transfer (CT) is key for exciton harvesting in metal nanoclusters (NCs).
  • The precise role of ligands in modulating CT dynamics within excited NCs is not fully understood.
  • Understanding ligand effects is crucial for optimizing NCs in photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and artificial photosynthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish principles for ligand engineering that elucidate long-lived CT kinetics in metal NCs.
  • To investigate how ligand structure influences charge separation and recombination rates.
  • To enhance the light-harvesting efficiency of metal NCs for practical applications.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic ligand engineering of metal nanoclusters.
  • Kinetic studies of charge transfer dynamics.
  • Evaluation of charge separation and recombination rates.
  • Assessment of photocatalytic activity and photocurrent generation.

Main Results:

  • Bulky ligands were found to significantly reduce the attenuation of charge separation rates.
  • Incorporating bulky ligands increased the decay rates of charge recombination.
  • Enhanced charge separation efficiency was observed with bulky ligands.
  • Metal NCs with bulky ligands showed improved reactive oxygen species generation and photocurrent intensity.

Conclusions:

  • Ligand engineering is a critical factor in controlling long-lived CT dynamics in metal NCs.
  • Bulky ligands optimize charge separation and recombination kinetics, boosting light-conversion efficiency.
  • These findings clarify the impact of ligand size on NC performance and advance their use in energy technologies.