Atomic Clusters With Unusual Structure

Atomic Clusters with Unusual Structure, Bonding and Reactivity: Theoretical Approaches, Computational Assessment and Applications reviews the latest computational tools and approaches available for accurately assessing the properties of a cluster, while also highlighting how such clusters can be adapted and utilized for the development of novel materials and applications. Sections provide an introduction to the computational methods used to obtain global minima for clusters and effectively analyze bonds, outline experimental approaches to produce clusters, discuss specific applications, and explore cluster reactivity and usage across a number of fields.Drawing on the knowledge of its expert editors and contributors, this book provides a detailed guide to ascertaining the stability, bonding and properties of atomic clusters. Atomic clusters, which exhibit unusual properties, offer huge potential as building blocks for new materials and novel applications, but understanding their properties, stability and bonding is essential in order to accurately understand, characterize and manipulate them for further use. Searching for the most stable geometry of a given cluster is difficult and becomes even more so for clusters of medium and large sizes, where the number of possible isomers sharply increase, hence this book provides a unique and comprehensive approach to the topic and available techniques and applications. Introduces readers to the vast structural and bonding diversity that clusters show and reflects on their potential for novel application and material development Highlights the latest computational methods and theoretical tools available for identification of the most stable isomers and accurate analysis of bonding in the clusters Focuses on clusters which violate the rules established in traditional chemistry and exhibit unusual structure, bonding and reactivity

Atomic clusters are aggregates of atoms containing a few to several thousand atoms. Due to the small size of these pieces of matter, the properties of atomic clusters in general are different from those of the corresponding material in the macroscopic bulk phase. This monograph presents the main developments of atomic clusters and the current status of the field. The book treats different types of clusters with very different properties: clusters in which the atoms or molecules are tied by weak van der Waals interactions, metallic clusters, clusters of ionic materials, and network clusters made of typical covalent elements. It includes methods of experimental cluster synthesis as well as the structural, electronic, thermodynamic and magnetic properties of clusters, covering both experiments and the theoretical work that has led to our present understanding of the different properties of clusters. The question of assembling nanoclusters to form solids with new properties is also considered. Having an adequate knowledge of the properties of clusters can be of great help to any scientist working with objects of nanometric size. On the other hand, nanoclusters are themselves potentially important in fields like catalysis and nanomedicine.

This volume on Clusters brings together contributions from a large number of specialists. A central element for all contributions is the use of advanced computational methodologies and their application to various aspects of structure, reactivity and properties of clusters. The size of clusters varies from a few atoms to nanoparticles. Special emphasis is given to bringing forth new insights on the structure and properties of these systems with an eye towards potential applications in Materials Science. Overal, the volume presents to the readers an amazing wealth of new results. Particular subjects include water clusters, Silicon, Iron, Nickel and Gold clusters, carbon-titanium microclusters and nanoparticles, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, chiral carbon nanotubes, boron nanoclusters and more.

Atomic Clusters: From Gas Phase to Deposited brings together a series of chapters, prepared by acknowledged experts in their fields. Both fundamental and practical aspects are addressed of the physics and chemistry of a novel state of matter, namely clusters of small numbers of atoms of nanometre dimensions. This is a field of nanoscience that existed before the word was invented, but has particularly achieved major advances in the recent years. * Contributions from leading experts in solid surfaces research * Cluster science is concerned with the properties of materials on the nano-metre scale * Brings together work on both free (gas-phase) clusters and those deposited on surfaces

It is about fifteen years since we started hearing about Computational Ma terials Science and Materials Modelling and Design. Fifteen years is a long time and all of us realise that the use of computational methods in the design of materials has not been rapid enough. We also know the reasons for this. Mate rials properties are not dependent on a single phenomenon. The properties of materials cover a wide range from electronic, thermal, mechanical to chemical and electro-chemical. Each of these class of properties depend on specific phe nomenon that takes place at different scales or levels of length from sub atomic to visible length levels. The energies controlling the phenomena also varies widely from a fraction of an electron volt to many joules. The complexity of materials are such that while models and methods for treating individual phenomenon have been perfected, incorporating them into a single programme taking into account the synergism is a formidable task. Two specific areas where the progress has been very rapid and substantive are prediction of phase stability and phase diagrams and embrittlement of steels by metalloids. The first three sections of the book contain papers which review the theoreti cal principles underlying materials modeling and simulations and show how they can be applied to the problems just mentioned. There is now a strong interest in designing new materials starting from nanoparticles and clusters.

This book presents a “snapshot” of the most recent and significant advances in the field of cluster physics. It is a comprehensive review based on contributions by the participants of the 2nd International Symposium on Atomic Cluster Collisions (ISACC 2007) held in July 19–23, 2007 at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany. The purpose of the Symposium is to promote the growth and exhange of scientific information on the structure and properties of nuclear, atomic, molecular, biological and complex cluster systems studied by means of photonic, electronic, heavy particle and atomic collisions. Particular attention is devoted to dynamic phenomena, many-body effects taking place in cluster systems of a different nature — these include problems of fusion and fission, fragmentation, collective electron excitations, phase transitions, etc. Both the experimental and theoretical aspects of cluster physics, uniquely placed between nuclear physics on the one hand and atomic, molecular and solid state physics on the other, are discussed. Contents:Clustering Phenomena at Nuclear and Subnuclear ScalesStructure and Properties of Atomic ClustersElectron, Photon and Ion Cluster CollisionsClusters on a SurfacePhase Transitions, Fusion, Fission and Fragmentation in Finite SystemsClusters in Laser FieldsClustering Phenomenon in System of Various Degrees of ComplexityStructure and Dynamics of BiomoleculesFrom Biomolecules to Cells and System Biology Readership: Researchers in physics, chemistry, biophysics, and materials science, both academic and professional. Keywords:Atomic Clusters;Biomolecules;Nanophysics;Nanoparticles;Collisions;Cluster Deposition;Fission and Fusion Processes;Phase TransitionsKey Features:Provides an overview of the traditional tools of the atomic, nuclear, molecular and biological physics applied to atomic clustersEmphasizes collisions with electrons, photons, heavy particles and atoms, as well as fusion and fissionUtilizes an interdisciplinary approach that joins many very different branches of physics, chemistry and mathematics

The Second International Conference on Atomic and Nuclear Clusters '93 was orga nized in a joint effort by the 'Demokritos' National Center for Scientific Research, G. S. Anagnostatos (representing the atomic physics) and the Hahn-Meitner-Institut, W. von Oertzen (representing the nuclear physics). The subject of clusters - small aggregates of particles - is a topic of primary interest in both atomic and nuclear physics, and also in other fields like in the case of quark-structure of baryons and in cosmology. The interplay between atomic and nuclear physics is a particularly fascinating one because many concepts are common to both fields (quantal effects, shells, geometric structures, collective modes, fission etc. ) This conference was the second after the first one organized by Professor M. Brenner in Abo (Finland) in 1991. The general atmosphere of a joint forum for atomic and nuclear physicists was very fruitful and thus the decision to have a sequence of such meetings has been taken. A third one is planned in St. Petersburg (Russia) with Professor K. Gridnev (St. Petersburg) and Mme. Professor C. Bnkhignac (Orsay) as Chairpersons. The conference site, Fin\. on Santorini island (Greece), was a wonderful choice for a conference. It is small, which helps to keep people concentrated in a smaller community, it has a perfect convention center, the P. Nomikos Conference Center, and a very beautiful landscape formed by a large volcanic crater.