Oxidation-Resistant Gold-55 Clusters

作者：H.‐G. Boyen, G. Kästle, F. Weigl, B. Koslowski, Ch. Dietrich, P. Ziemann, Joachim Pius Spatz, S. Riethmüller, Christoph Hartmann, Martin Nue Møller, Guenter Schmid, M. G. Garnier, P. Oelhafen · 发表于：Science · 年份：2002 · DOI：10.1126/science.1076248 · 被引用次数：511 · 研究领域：Catalytic Processes in Materials Science、Nanocluster Synthesis and Applications、Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Applications

Gold nanoparticles ranging in diameter from 1 to 8 nanometers were prepared on top of silicon wafers in order to study the size dependence of their oxidation behavior when exposed to atomic oxygen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed a maximum oxidation resistance for "magic-number" clusters containing 55 gold atoms. This inertness is not related to electron confinement leading to a size-induced metal-to-insulator transition, but rather seems to be linked to the closed-shell structure of such magic clusters. The result additionally suggests that gold-55 clusters may act as especially effective oxidation catalysts, such as for oxidizing carbon monoxide.