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Colloidal Self‐Assembly of Catalytic Copper Nanoclusters into Ultrathin Ribbons
Author(s) -
Wu Zhennan,
Li Yanchun,
Liu Jiale,
Lu Zhongyuan,
Zhang Hao,
Yang Bai
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201407390
Subject(s) - nanoclusters , catalysis , van der waals force , copper , materials science , colloid , metal , nanotechnology , self assembly , chemical engineering , oxygen reduction , oxygen reduction reaction , attraction , surface energy , chemistry , composite material , metallurgy , molecule , organic chemistry , engineering , linguistics , philosophy , electrode , electrochemistry
Abstract Metal nanoclusters (NCs) with diameter below 2 nm are promising catalysts in oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). However, the high surface energy of ultra‐small clusters leads to structural instability, shedding doubt on practical applications. Herein, we demonstrate a self‐assembly method to improve the durability of catalytic metal NCs, employing copper NCs capped by 1‐dodecanethiol (DT) to form free‐standing ribbons in colloidal solution. By tuning the cooperation between the dipolar attraction between Cu NCs and the van der Waals attraction between DT, the thickness of ribbons is adjusted to a single NC scale. Such free‐standing ribbons exhibit excellent catalytic activity and durability in ORR.