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Title: Magnetic Ordering in Gold Nanoclusters

Journal Article · · ACS Omega

Here, several research groups have observed magnetism in monolayer-protected gold-cluster samples, but the results were often contradictory and thus a clear understanding of this phenomenon is still missing. We used Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)180, which is a paramagnetic cluster that can be prepared with atomic precision and whose structure is known precisely. Previous magnetometry studies only detected paramagnetism. We used samples representing a range of crystallographic orders and studied their magnetic behaviors by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). As a film, Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)180 displays paramagnetic behavior but, at low temperature, ferromagnetic interactions are detectable. One or few single crystals undergo physical reorientation with the applied field and display ferromagnetism, as detected through hysteresis experiments. A large collection of microcrystals is magnetic even at room temperature and shows distinct paramagnetic, superparamagnetic, and ferromagnetic behaviors. Simulation of the EPR spectra shows that both spin-orbit coupling and crystal distortion are important to determine the observed magnetic behaviors. DFT calculations carried out on single cluster and periodic models predict values of spin6orbit coupling and crystal6splitting effects in agreement with the EPR derived quantities. Magnetism in gold nanoclusters is thus demonstrated to be the outcome of a very delicate balance of factors. To obtain reproducible results, the samples must be (i) controlled for composition and thus be monodispersed with atomic precision, (ii) of known charge state, and (iii) well defined also in terms of crystallinity and experimental conditions. This study highlights the efficacy of EPR spectroscopy to provide a molecular understanding of these phenomena

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1363986
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-125554; 49645; KP1704020
Journal Information:
ACS Omega, Vol. 2, Issue 6; ISSN 2470-1343
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 53 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Chirality Dependent Charge Transfer Rate in Oligopeptides journal April 2018
Superlinear Photoluminescence by Ultrafast Laser Pulses in Dielectric Matrices with Metal Nanoclusters journal April 2019
Time-dependent density-functional study of the photoabsorption spectrum of Au 25 (SC 2 H 4 C 6 H 5 ) 18 anion: Validation of the computational protocol journal July 2018
Controlling magnetism of Au 133 (TBBT) 52 nanoclusters at single electron level and implication for nonmetal to metal transition journal January 2019
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Diamagnetism of metallic nanoparticles as the result of strong spin-orbit interaction text January 2019
Ligand Structure Determines Nanoparticles' Atomic Structure, Metal-Ligand Interface and Properties journal August 2018