Atomically precise nanoclusters (NCs) with fascinating physicochemical characteristics different from their nanoparticles (NPs) counterparts have gained increasing attention in diverse fields of applications. The foremost outcome such NC-based applications is leading to transform them into devices. In fact, there are already some reports on the development For instance, NCs exhibit potential so...

We study the influence of elastic anisotropy on nanoscale precursor textures that exist in some shape-memory alloys and show that tweed occurs in the limit of high elastic anisotropy while a nanocluster phase-separated state occurs for values of anisotropy inhibiting the formation of martensite. These results are consistent with specific heat data, elastic constant measurements, and zero-field ...

We describe the development of a fluorescent biosensor platform for soluble cholesterol based on bovine serum albumin-stabilized gold nanocluster probes co-dissolved with cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) in a surfactant emulsion system. Selective enzymatic oxidation of cholesterol to cholest-4-en-3-one by ChOx produces stoichiometric amounts of H2O2 by-product, generating a quenching response signali...

We report the synthesis of a Au44(SR)28 nanocluster (SR = 4-tert-butylbenzenethiolate). Based on the structural rules learned from the known Au28(SR)20 and Au36(SR)24 structures, we propose a plausible structure for Au44(SR)28, which is predicted to comprise a six-interpenetrating cuboctahedral Au36 kernel protected by four dimeric staples and sixteen bridging thiolates, i.e. Au36[Au2(SR)3]4(SR...

Interlayer exchange coupling in ordered Fe nanocluster arrays grown on Al2O3/Ni3Al(111) S. Vlaic,1,* L. Gragnaniello,1,† S. Rusponi,1 A. Cavallin,1,‡ F. Donati,1 Q. Dubout,1 C. Piamonteze,2 J. Dreiser,2 F. Nolting,2 and H. Brune1,§ 1Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 2Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 ...

Two Pt-H vibrational bands at 1679 cm(-1) and 1392 cm(-1) observed with 13-atom Pt clusters supported in LTL zeolite by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirms that H atoms bridge two Pt atoms across the edges of the metal cluster. An additional broad absorption band centred near 2200 cm(-1) which exhibits some substructure is assigned to low energy electronic excitations across...

The structural and electronic properties of pure nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanoclusters are investigated using density functional theory with vibrational modes. We performed numerical simulation two methods based on theories at the Quantum Espresso/PBE Gaussian/B3LYP/631G (d) levels. a single (TiO2)n nanocluster also computed in this study. In both cases, interstitial substitutional Nitrogen doping a...

Tertiary chiral nanostructures have been created by assembling chiroptical superatoms of [Au7Ag6Cu2(S- or R-BINAP)3(SCH2Ph)6]+ (BINAP=2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthyl). Both metal framework (primary structure) and surface ligands (secondary) the nanocluster display perfect mirror symmetry. C−H⋅⋅⋅F hydrogen bonding between clusters SbF6− counterions direct formation left- right-handed...