Metal Transition in Sodium–Ammonia Nanodroplets
M. Sc. Sebastian Hartweg
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Adam H. C. West
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Bruce L. Yoder
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Prof. Dr. Ruth Signorell
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorM. Sc. Sebastian Hartweg
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Adam H. C. West
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Bruce L. Yoder
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Prof. Dr. Ruth Signorell
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorGraphical Abstract
When is a metal not a metal? For more than a century, chemists have been struggling for a detailed understanding of the intriguing concentration-dependent color change of metal–ammonia solutions from deep blue to copper-gold. Indications for the underlying nonmetal-to-metal transition have now been found in photoelectron images of sodium–ammonia nanodroplets, paving the way for an atomistic description.
Abstract
The famous nonmetal-to-metal transition in Na–ammonia solutions is investigated in nanoscale solution droplets by photoelectron spectroscopy. In agreement with the bulk solutions, a strong indication for a transition to the metallic state is found at an average metal concentration of 8.8±2.2 mole%. The smallest entity for the phase transition to be observed consists of approximately 100–200 solvent molecules. The quantification of this critical entity size is a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding of these quantum–classical solutions through direct modeling at the molecular level.
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