Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Nanoclusters

The persistent efforts toward achieving superior properties for assembled nanoscale particles have been hindered due to the resulting polydispersity associated with colloidal routes of synthesis. A solution to this limitation seems to have emerged through the advent of ligand-protected atomic clusters. In this case, the ligands stabilizing the clusters are highly reactive and thus provide a facile avenue for the “ligand-mediated spatial organization of nanoclusters”.

Thus, a dispersion of atomic clusters typically constitutes of structurally and chemically related species. Hence, the perusal of chemical reactions toward achieving complex nanostructures in a controllable manner could yield self-assembled nanoclusters with multiple functions and collective properties, widening their application potential.

Together, we embark on a journey to unlock approaches to materials chemistry developed for assembling atomically precise clusters into higher-ordered structures in various dimensions.