From Atom-Precise Nanoclusters to Superatom Materials

This special issue will cover recent advances in the emerging fields of atom-precise nanoclusters and cluster-assembled materials. Atom-precise nanoclusters consist of ligand-protected clusters with precisely defined numbers of atoms and structures. They can be crystalized and their structures are determined using X-ray diffraction or high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). This is a highly active research area within nanoscience. The unique chemical and physical properties of atom-precise nanoclusters have been widely studied and will be one focus of this special issue. The second focus will be on the assembly of these superatoms into crystalline materials. In contrast to conventional atomic solids, the superatoms possess distinctive electronic, magnetic, vibrational, and symmetry characteristics. Assembling superatoms with controllable inter-superatom bonding and symmetry thus creates a new family of materials that combine programmable nanoscale building blocks and atomic precision. The special issue will also include advanced experimental and theoretical methods related to atom-precise nanoclusters and superatom materials, such as HRTEM, synchrotron-based spectroscopy, gas-phase spectroscopy, and computational approach based on machine-learning.