Organometallic clusters as precursors of metallic nanoparticles

Abstract

The interaction between osmium clusters with metal (silver and gold) and oxide (silica, ZnO and In2O3) surfaces are described. The nature of the interaction varies with the precursor, the linking group, and the surface. The deposition of these clusters as metallic nanoparticles has also been examined as models for studying the cluster-surface interaction, and it is found that the interaction is the same for the nanoparticle and the corresponding substrate. The factors in determining the size and shape of metallic (osmium, ruthenium and osmium-ruthenium) nanoparticles onto a support via vacuum pyrolysis of organometallic cluster precursors have been examined. The molecular structure of the precursor is found to be the most important. In contrast, the preparation of osmium and ruthenium nanoparticles by thermolysis in the presence of TOPO shows that the main determinant is the surfactant.