Solvent-Induced Reverse-Ostwald Ripening: Structure Conversion from Ag₅₆ to Ag₄₅ Clusters and Its Impact on Catalytic...

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Catalysis
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Controlled structural transformation in metal clusters is key for new architectures and understanding structure-property relationships.
• Atomically precise metal clusters offer unique properties due to their defined structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate solvent-induced structural transformations in silver clusters.
• To explore the catalytic activity and stability of different silver cluster structures.

Main Methods:

• Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for composition and structure determination.
• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) for precise structural analysis.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate catalytic mechanisms.

Main Results:

• A novel solvent-mediated reverse-Ostwald ripening process was observed between silver clusters Ag56 and Ag45.
• Ag56 transforms to Ag45 in pentane, while remaining stable in dichloromethane.
• The Ag45 cluster, formed via fragmentation and reorganization, shows enhanced stability and catalytic activity for 4-nitrophenol reduction compared to Ag56.

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates a unique solvent-induced reverse-Ostwald ripening pathway in silver clusters.
• The findings provide atomic-level insights into active site construction for cluster-based catalysts.
• This work offers a strategy for designing robust and efficient silver cluster catalysts.