Aun Clusters Research Articles

Theoretical predictions of adsorption behavior of elements 112 and 114 and their homologs Hg and Pb

Fully relativistic (four-component) density-functional theory calculations were performed for elements 112 and 114 and their lighter homologs, Hg and Pb, interacting with gold systems, from an atom to a Au(n) cluster simulating the Au(111) surface. Convergence of the adatom-metal cluster binding energies E(b) with cluster size was reached for n>90. Hg, Pb, and element 114 were found to preferably adsorb at the bridge position, while element 112 was found to preferably adsorb at a hollow site. Independently of the cluster size, the trend in E(b) is Pb>>114>Hg>112. The obtained E(b) for Pb and element 112 are in good agreement with the measured adsorption enthalpies of these elements on gold, while the Hg value is obviously underestimated, confirming the observation that adsorption takes place not on the surface but in it. A comparison of chemical bonding in various systems shows that element 114 should be more reactive than element 112: A relative inertness of the latter is caused by the strong relativistic stabilization of the 7s atomic orbital. On the contrary, van der Waals bonding in element 114 systems should be weaker than in those of element 112 due to its larger radius.

Facile, large-scale synthesis of dodecanethiol-stabilized Au38 clusters.

It has long been a major challenge to achieve synthetic control over size and monodispersity of gold thiolate nanoclusters. Among the reported Aun thiolate clusters, Au38 has been shown to be particularly stable but was only obtained as a minor product in previous syntheses. In this work, we report a bulk solution synthetic method that permits large-scale, facile synthesis of truly monodisperse Au38 nanoclusters. This new method explores a two-phase ligand exchange process utilizing glutathione-capped Aun clusters as the starting material. The ligand exchange process with neat dodecanethiols causes gold core etching and secondary growth of clusters, and eventually leads to monodisperse Au38 clusters in high purity, which eliminates nontrivial postsynthetic separation steps. This method can be readily scaled up to synthesize Au38(SC12H25)24 in large quantities and thus makes the approach and Au38 nanoclusters of broad utility.

Density functional study of structural and electronic properties of maximum-spinn+1Aun−1Ag clusters

The structures and relative stabilities of high-spin n+1Aun−1Ag and nAun−1Ag+ (n = 2–8) clusters have been studied with density functional calculation. We predicted the existence of a number of previously unknown isomers. Our results revealed that all structures of high-spin neutral or cationic Aun−1Ag clusters can be understood as a substitution of an Au atom by an Ag atom in the high-spin neutral or cationic Aun clusters. The properties of mixed gold–silver clusters are strongly sized and structural dependence. The high-spin bimetallic clusters tend to be holding three-dimensional geometry rather than planar form represented in their low-spin situations. Silver atom prefers to occupy those peripheral positions until to n = 8 for high-spin clusters, which is different from its position occupied by light atom in the low-spin situations. Our theoretical calculations indicated that in various high-spin Aun−1Ag neutral and cationic species, 5Au3Ag, 3AuAg and 5Au4Ag+ hold high stability, which can be explained by valence bond theory. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009

Structure and stability of high‐spin Aun(n = 2–8) clusters

AbstractThe structures and relative stability of the maximum‐spin n+1Aun and nAu (n = 2–8) clusters have been determined by density‐functional theory. The structure optimizations and vibrational frequency analysis are performed with the gradient‐corrections of Perdew along with his 1981 local correlation functional, combined with SBKJC effective core potential, augmented in the valence basis set by a set of f functions. We predicted the existence of a number of previously unknown isomers. The energetic and electronic properties of the small high‐spin gold clusters are strongly dependent on sizes. The high‐spin clusters tend to holding three‐dimensional geometry rather than planar form preferred in low‐spin situations. In whole high‐spin Aun (n = 2–8) neutral and cationic species, 5Au4, 2Au, and 4Au are predicted to be of high stability, which can be explained by valence bond theory. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009

Ab initio study of small AunY2 (n=1–4) clusters

The geometries of the lowest-lying isomers of AunY2 (n=1–4) clusters are determined systematically via the density functional method B3LYP with relativistic effective core potentials (RECP) and LANL2DZ basis set. Several low-lying isomers were determined, and many of them in electronic configurations with a high-spin multiplicity. The gold–yttrium interaction is strong enough to modify the known growth pattern of bare gold clusters. The stability trend of Y-doped Aun clusters is compared to that of pure Aun clusters. The results show that the inclusion of two Y atoms in the clusters improves the cluster stability, and indicate higher stability as the structures grow in size. The present calculations are useful to understand the enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity gained by using yttrium-doped gold catalyst.

Competition Among fcc-Like, Double-Layered Flat, Tubular Cage, and Close-Packed Structural Motifs for Medium-Sized Aun (n = 21−28) Clusters

Using density functional theory calculations, we compared four kinds of possible structural motifs of the medium-sized Aun (n = 21-28) clusters, i.e., fcc-like, double-layered flat, tubular cage, and close-packed. Our results show strong competition between those structural motifs in the medium-sized gold clusters. Aun (n = 21-23) adopt fcc-like structure owing to the high stability of tetrahedral Au20. A structural transition from fcc-like to tubular occurs at Au24, and the tubular motif continues at Au27 and Au28. Meanwhile, a double-layered flat structure was found at Au25, and a pyramid-based structure at Au26. The relationship between electronic properties and cluster geometry was also discussed.

Density functional study of the interaction between small Au clusters, Aun (n=1–7) and the rutile TiO2 surface. II. Adsorption on a partially reduced surface

We use density functional theory to examine the electronic structure of small Au(n) (n=1-7) clusters, supported on a rutile TiO(2)(110) surface having oxygen vacancies on the surface (a partially reduced surface). Except for the monomer, the binding energy of all Au clusters to the partially reduced surface is larger by approximately 0.25 eV than the binding energy to a stoichiometric surface. The bonding site and the orientation of the cluster are controlled by the shape of the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) of the free cluster (free cluster means a gas-phase cluster with the same geometry as the supported one). The bond is strong when the lobes of the HOMOs overlap with those of the high-energy states of the clean oxide surface (i.e., with no gold) that have lobes on the bridging and the in-plane oxygen atoms. In other words, the cluster takes a shape and a location that optimizes the contact of its HOMOs with the oxygen atoms. Fivefold coordinated Ti atoms located at a defect site (5c-Ti(*)) participate in the binding only when a protruding lobe of the singly occupied molecular orbital (for odd n) or the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (for even n) of the free Au(n) cluster points toward a 5c-Ti(*) atom. The oxygen vacancy influences the binding energy of the clusters (except for Au(1)) only when they are in direct contact with the defect. The desorption energy and the total charge on clusters that are close to, but do not overlap with, the vacancy differ little from the values they have when the cluster is adsorbed on a stoichiometric surface. The behavior of Au(1) is rather remarkable. The atom prefers to bind directly to the vacancy site with a binding energy of 1.81 eV. However, it also makes a strong bond (1.21 eV) with any 5c-Ti atom even if that atom is far from the vacancy site. In contrast, the binding of a Au monomer to the 5c-Ti atom of a surface without vacancies is weak (0.45 eV). The presence of the vacancy activates the 5c-Ti atoms by populating states at the bottom of the conduction band. These states are delocalized and have lobes protruding out of the surface at the location of the 5c-Ti atoms. It is the overlap of these lobes with the highest orbital of the Au atom that is the major reason for the bonding to the 5c-Ti atom, no matter how far the latter is from the vacancy. The energy for breaking an adsorbed cluster into two adsorbed fragments is smaller than the kinetic energy of the mass-selected clusters deposited on the surface in experiments. However, this is not sufficient for breaking the cluster upon impact with the surface, since only a fraction of the available energy will go into the reaction coordinate for breakup.

Adsorption of small Au clusters on MgO and MgO/Mo: the role of oxygen vacancies and the Mo-support

We report a systematic density functional theory investigation of adsorption of small Aun (n =1–6) clusters on ideal and defected MgO(100) single crystal surfaces and Mo(100) supported thin MgO(100) films. As a model defect, we consider a neutral surface oxygen vacancy (Fs). Optimal adsorption geometries and energies, cluster formation energies and cluster charges are discussed and compared in detail over four different substrates. For a given cluster size, the adsorption energy among these substrates increases in the order MgO, Fs/MgO, MgO/Mo and Fs/MgO/Mo. While cluster growth by association of atoms from gas phase is exothermic on all the substrates, cluster growth by diffusion and aggregation of pre-adsorbed Au atoms is an endothermic process for Au1→Au2, Au3→Au4 and Au5→Au6 on MgO/Mo and Au2→Au3 and Au5→Au6 on Fs/MgO/Mo. The adsorbed clusters are close to neutral on MgO, but adopt a significant anionic charge on other supports with the increasing order: MgO/Mo, Fs/MgO and Fs/MgO/Mo. The adsorption strength thus correlates with the amount of negative charge transferred from the substrate to gold.

Unbiased Determination of Structural and Electronic Properties of Gold Clusters with up to 58 Atoms

Isolated neutral AuN clusters are studied using a parametrized density-functional tight-binding method combined with genetic algorithms for all N from 2 up to 58. Various descriptors are used in an...

Structures and electronic properties of Aun-1Cu and Aun(n⩽ 9) clusters

A systematic study on the structure and electronic properties of gold clusters doped each with one copper atom has been performed using the density functional theory. The average bond lengths in the Aun-1Cu (n ≤ 9) bimetallic clusters are shorter than those in the corresponding pure gold clusters. The ionization potentials of the bimetallic clusters Aun-1Cu (n ≤ 9) are larger than those of the corresponding homoatomic gold clusters except for Au5. The energy gaps of the Au-Cu binary clusters are narrower than those of the Aun clusters except AuCu and Au3Cu. No obvious even–odd effect exists in the variations of the electron affinities and ionization potentials for the Aun-1Cu (n ≤ 9) clusters, which is in contrast to the case of gold clusters Aun.

Global structure optimization study on Au 2-20

The geometries and electronic properties of the most stable small Aun clusters with n=2 to 20 are presented. An intensive search for low-energy minima of Aun clusters was carried through using a density-functional tight-binding method combined with genetic algorithms for an unbiased global structure optimization. The structural and energetic properties of the small gold clusters are compared with those of planar Aun clusters with n=5 to 15.

Density functional study of the charge on Aun clusters (n=1–7) supported on a partially reduced rutile TiO2(110): Are all clusters negatively charged?

It is widely believed that small gold clusters supported on an oxide surface and adsorbed at the site of an oxygen vacancy are negatively charged. It has been suggested that this negative charge helps a gold cluster adsorb oxygen and weakens the O-O bond to make oxidation reactions more efficient. Given the fact that an oxygen vacancy is electron rich and that Au is a very electronegative element, the assumption that the Au cluster will take electron density from the vacancy is plausible. However, the density functional calculations presented here show that the situation is more complicated. The authors have used the Bader method to examine the charge redistribution when a Aun cluster (n=1-7) binds next to or at an oxygen vacancy on rutile TiO2(110). For the lowest energy isomers they find that Au1 and Au3 are negatively charged, Au5 and Au7 are positively charged, and Au2, Au4, and Au6 exchange practically no charge. The behavior of the Aun isomers having the second-lowest energy is also unexpected. Au2, Au3, Au5, and Au7 are negatively charged upon adsorption and very little charge is transferred when Au4 and Au6 are adsorbed. These observations can be explained in terms of the overlap between the frontier molecular orbitals of the gold cluster and the eigenstates of the support. Aun with even n becomes negatively charged when the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital has a lobe pointing in the direction of the oxygen vacancy or towards a fivefold coordinated Ti (5c-Ti) located in the surface layer; otherwise it stays neutral. Aun with odd n becomes negatively charged when the singly occupied molecular orbital has a lobe pointing in the direction of a 5c-Ti located at the vacancy site or in the surface layer, otherwise it donates electron density into the conduction band of rutile TiO2(110) becoming positively charged.

DFT based study of Aun (4–7) clusters: new stabilized geometries

Based on the density functional theory, we demonstrate that Aun (n=4–7) can have stabilized configurations such as like-ring and three dimensional (3D) clusters. Au4 adopt the square geometry with the D4h space group. The Au6 hexagonal cluster seems to be more stable than all other geometries with a zero magnetic moment. A new 3D Au6 can be retrieved with a slight difference in binding energy compared with the cyclic one.

Patterned films of size-selected Au clusters on optical substrates

The deposition of clusters produced by gas phase aggregation is a powerful tool for tailoring nanostructured materials. We report the successful preparation of patterned size-selected AuN (N=300–23000) clusters, on various optical substrates (glass, quartz, polymethyl methacrylate, and mica), as relevant to applications in photonics. Characterization of the film morphologies by atomic force microscopy showed stable, monodispersed arrangement even months after deposition. Laser scanning confocal microscopy of the ensemble demonstrates that the Au cluster plasmon is preserved in these arrays.

Molecular dynamics simulation of melting behaviour of small gold clusters: AuN (N=12–14)

We have investigated the melting behaviour of AuN (N=12–14) clusters by means of molecular dynamics simulation on the basis of the Voter–Chen version of the embedded-atom method. The melting behaviour of the clusters is described in terms of short-time average temperatures and atomic coordination numbers of the clusters. Results have shown that during the melting process, the phase changes occur as a collective and simultaneous motion of all the atoms in a very short-time interval. Furthermore the Au14 cluster presents a two-stage melting behaviour which is different from those of the Au12 and Au13 clusters. The isomer sampling probabilities are obtained from the thermal quenching of the molten clusters, and their energy-spectrum widths are investigated. The results of the isomer forming probabilities showed that the global minimum structures of these clusters are not always the most probable ones to be formed in the experiments.

Oxidation and Reduction of Mass‐Selected Au Clusters on SiO2/Si

Even–odd effects: Oxidation patterns of the mass-selected Aun (n=2–10) clusters deposited on silica surfaces are reported. An additional Au atom can drastically change the oxidation pattern of the Au clusters. Au5 and Au7 (see picture) are suggested to be highly stable upon oxygen exposure. Formation of AuO bonds is not observed.

Adsorption of O2 on tubelike Au24 and Au24− clusters

The nondissociative adsorptions of O(2) on the neutral and anionic Au(24) have been studied using the density functional theory (DFT) in the generalized gradient approximation. Their geometrical structures are optimized by using a combination of the relativistic effective core potential and all-electron potential with scalar relativistic corrections. It is found that the adsorptions of O(2) on the tubelike Au(24) and Au(24) (-) are more stable than it on their space-filled counterparts. Mulliken population analysis shows that the O(2) adsorbed on the tubelike Au(24) and Au(24) (-) got more electrons than on the amorphous ones, which may be a reason why the O(2) can be adsorbed more easily on the former rather than on the latter. Compared with the previous DFT studies of O(2) adsorbed on small Au(n) (n< or =10) clusters, we have shown that the O(2) can also be adsorbed on the neutral even Au(24) with an adsorption energy compatible with that on the small neutral odd gold clusters, but the adsorption energy of O(2) on the anionic Au(24) (-) is lower than that on the small anionic Au(n) with even n. In all the optimized geometrical structures of the O(2)-adsorbed Au(24) and Au(24) (-) clusters, including both tubelike and amorphous ones, we found that O(2) prefers its two O atoms to be attached to two near gold atoms with the least coordination number rather than only one O atom to be attached to one gold atom.

Modeling the pinning of Au and Ni clusters on graphite

The pinning of size-selected AuN and NiN clusters on graphite, for N=7–100, is investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations and the results are compared to experiment and previous work with Ag clusters. Ab initio calculations of the binding of the metal adatom and dimers on a graphite surface are used to parametrize the potentials used in the simulations. The clusters are projected normally towards a graphite surface and the value of the energy at which pinning first occurs, EP, is determined. Pinning is shown to occur when a surface defect, made by the cluster interaction, is first produced. The simulations give a good agreement with the experimentally determined pinning energy thresholds and the heights of the clusters on the surface. The gold clusters are shown to be flatter and more spread out than the nickel clusters which are more compact.

Size-Dependent Carbon Monoxide Adsorption on Neutral Gold Clusters

We report on experiments probing the reactivity of neutral Au(n) clusters, n = 9-68, with carbon monoxide. The gold clusters are produced in a pulsed laser vaporization cluster source, operated at room temperature (RT) or at liquid-nitrogen temperature (LNT), pass through a low-pressure reaction cell containing CO gas, and are subsequently laser ionized. The reaction probabilities are determined by recording mass abundance spectra with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The main observations are a strong temperature dependence and a remarkable size dependence. Upon cooling of the cluster source to LNT, the reactivity increases substantially. At LNT, the reaction probabilities for Au(n) with the first CO molecule are about a factor 10 higher than at RT. Moreover, adsorption of two, three, and even four CO molecules is observed, in contrast to RT clusters which at most adsorb one CO molecule. This temperature dependence is related to the lifetime of the cluster-molecule complexes, being much longer for cold clusters. The observed striking size dependence is similar at both temperatures and is discussed in terms of the electronic structure effects.

Structure and energetics of nickel, copper, and gold clusters

The most stable structures of CuN, NiN, and AuN clusters with 2≤N≤60 have been determined using a combination of the embedded-atom (EAM), the quasi-Newton, and our own Aufbau/Abbau methods for the calculation of the total energy for a given structure, the structures of the local total-energy minima, and the structure of the global total-energy minimum, respectively. We have employed two well-known versions of the EAM: (1) the ‘bulk’ version of Daw, Baskes, and Foiles and (2) the Voter-Chen version which takes into account also properties of the dimer in the parameterization. The lower-energy structures (also for the smallest) of CuN and NiN clusters (i.e., structural details as well as symmetry) obtained with the two versions are very similar. Thus, our study supports an universality of the bulk embedding functions for copper and nickel. But for gold clusters the differences between structures calculated with the two different versions of the EAM are significant, even for larger clusters.