Synthesis of Highly Stable Surfactant-free Cu5 Clusters in Water

Abstract

We report the synthesis, for the first time, of small, highly monodisperse Cu5 clusters in water without any surfactant or protective agent. For this purpose, we used a new approach based on the kinetic control of the reaction, which is achieved with an electrochemical method and using a solution with almost no conductivity (i.e., without added electrolytes commonly used in electrochemical methods). This allows the application of extremely small current densities needed to focus the reaction to synthesize only one selected cluster size. Clusters were characterized by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) and fluorescence spectroscopies, atomic force microscopy, electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, extended X-ray absorption fine structure, and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy, showing the presence of only Cu clusters with five atoms. Contrary to what should be expected, such clusters are very stable and remain unaltered in solution, for at least one year, because of their huge band gap (4.07 eV). Moreover, such Cu5 clusters are extremely stable to UV irradiation, temperature, and pH.