Volume 42, Issue 11 pp. 1386-1399
Review

To inorganic nanoparticles via nanoclusters: Nonclassical nucleation and growth pathway

Hogeun Chang

Hogeun Chang

Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Search for more papers by this author
Megalamane S. Bootharaju

Megalamane S. Bootharaju

Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Search for more papers by this author
Sanghwa Lee

Sanghwa Lee

Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Search for more papers by this author
Jeong Hyun Kim

Jeong Hyun Kim

Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Search for more papers by this author
Byung Hyo Kim

Corresponding Author

Byung Hyo Kim

Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Correspondence

Byung Hyo Kim, Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea.

Email: [email protected]

Taeghwan Hyeon, Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.

Email: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
Taeghwan Hyeon

Corresponding Author

Taeghwan Hyeon

Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Correspondence

Byung Hyo Kim, Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea.

Email: [email protected]

Taeghwan Hyeon, Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.

Email: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 23 September 2021
Citations: 4

Funding information: National Research Foundation, Grant/Award Number: NRF-R1C1C11014339; Institute for Basic Science, Grant/Award Number: IBS-R006-D1

Abstract

Nanoclusters, intermediates in size between atoms and nanoparticles, have been a topic of great interest because of their unique molecular structures and optical properties as compared to those of nanoparticles and bulk counterparts. Recent mechanistic studies have shown that the nanoclusters appear in the initial stages of the nanoparticle growth. The formation of nanoclusters is supported by the nonclassical nucleation theory, revealing that the nanoclusters with extremely large surface areas can be stabilized by the ligands. In this review, we first provide the theoretical background of the classical and nonclassical nucleation mechanisms in the nanoparticle formation, which helps understand the stability of nanoclusters. We then focus on the synthesis and characterization of nanoclusters of noble metals, semiconductors, metal oxides, and their alloys. Furthermore, the potential applications in bioimaging, sensing, optoelectronics, and catalysis, enabled by unique optical and chemical properties of nanoclusters, are discussed.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.