Unlike bare clusters in gas-phase, solution phase particles are protected by ligands. The surface-protecting ligands play an important role in stabilizing nanoclusters; furthermore, the size and structure of the ligand-protected nanoclusters may be influenced or even controlled by the geometry of protecting organic ligands. In thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters, we indeed observe that the magic sizes change accordingly to the geometry of the protecting thiolate ligands. In this presentation, we will give a detailed discussion on how the new magic sizes be generated by adjusting the ligand's structure, and how the geometry of the thiolate ligand influences or tunes the sizes of gold nanoclusters. We demonstrate that the ligand can act as a synthesis parameter and add diversity to the current nanocluster chemistry to produce new magic sizes and impart new functions to the nanoclusters.

On the ligand's role in controlling the sizes of thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters

248th National Meeting (2014)

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