Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan.
Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan.
Small. 2021 Jul;17(27):e2005328. doi: 10.1002/smll.202005328. Epub 2021 Feb 1.
Metal nanoclusters (NCs), which are composed of about 250 or fewer metal atoms, possess great potential as novel functional materials. Fundamental research on metal NCs gradually started in the 1960s, and since 2000, thiolate (SR)-protected metal NCs have been the main metal NCs actively studied. The precise and systematic isolation of SR-protected metal NCs has been achieved in 2005. Since then, research on SR-protected metal NCs for both basic science and practical application has rapidly expanded. This review describes this recent progress in the field of SR-protected metal NCs in three areas: synthesis, understanding, and application. Specifically, the recent study of alloy NCs and connected structures composed of NCs is highlighted in the "synthesis" section, recent knowledge on the reactivity of NCs in solution is highlighted in the "understanding" section, and the applications of NCs in the energy and environmental field are highlighted in the "application" section. This review provides insight on the current state of research on SR-protected metal NCs and discusses the challenges to be overcome for further development in this field as well as the possibilities that these materials can contribute to solving the problems facing modern society.
金属纳米团簇（NCs）由约 250 个或更少的金属原子组成，具有作为新型功能材料的巨大潜力。金属 NCs 的基础研究于 20 世纪 60 年代逐渐开始，自 2000 年以来，硫醇（SR）保护的金属 NCs 一直是积极研究的主要金属 NCs。2005 年，精确和系统地分离了 SR 保护的金属 NCs。自那时以来，对基础科学和实际应用的 SR 保护金属 NCs 的研究迅速扩展。本综述从合成、理解和应用三个方面描述了 SR 保护金属 NCs 领域的这一最新进展。具体而言，在“合成”部分突出了最近对合金 NCs 和由 NCs 组成的连接结构的研究，在“理解”部分突出了最近关于 NCs 在溶液中的反应性的知识，以及在“应用”部分突出了 NCs 在能源和环境领域的应用。本综述提供了对 SR 保护金属 NCs 研究现状的深入了解，并讨论了为进一步发展该领域必须克服的挑战，以及这些材料为解决现代社会面临的问题做出贡献的可能性。
