Synthesizing Superatoms To Substitute Elements
A cluster of atoms that exhibit the properties of elemental atoms is called a superatom. As they are linked with atoms to produce molecules and can potentially substitute some elements in various applications, scientists have shown keen interest in superatomic structures.
But superatoms must be specially tailored to mimic the properties of corresponding elements so that they can be effectively utilized. The specific combination of electrons used influences this transformation.
A superatom of aluminium-14 can be produced by adding an aluminium atom to the superatom of aluminium-13. Understanding and investigation of superatoms are important due to this modifiability. But previous studies on superatoms had been largely focused on single clusters and just theoretical. And scientists were not able to synthesize superatoms with sufficient stability and volume to be used in practical applications.
A study led by Dr. Tetsuya Kambe and Prof Kimihisa Yamamoto and their team including scientists from Tokyo Tech and ERATO Japan Science and Technology fabricated clusters of gallium (Ga) element in the solution to reveal the effects of changing the number of atoms in a cluster on the cluster properties.
The team used a specialized superatom synthesizer to synthesize Ga clusters of 3
, 12, 13 and other numbers of atoms. They then captured transmission electron microscopic images and used computation tools to analyze the structural differences among the synthesized clusters.Superatomic periodicity of 13- and 3-atom clusters were revealed by mass spectrometry. There were electrochemical and structural differences between the 13-atom cluster and other clusters.
But scientists observed low stability of this cluster in the solution medium because the 3-atom cluster with hydrogen (Ga3H2) was reduced to Ga3H2- and was not detected.
The concept that structural change can be induced in superatoms is proven by the ability to alter clusters. The results from the study implied that the valence electrons in superatomic clusters in the solution can be changed by controlling the number of constituent atoms. These findings allow the preparation and designing of superatoms.
This study is just the beginning of a future research that would help synthesizing superatoms to substitute elements. As Dr. Kambe, Prof Yamamoto and team reiterate, “the superatom reveals an attractive strategy for creating new building blocks through the use of cluster structures.”
