Reduction-Triggered Self-Assembly of Nanoscale Molybdenum Oxide Molecular Clusters

Panchao Yin, Bin Wu, Tao Li, Peter V. Bonnesen, Kunlun Hong, Soenke Seifert, Lionel Porcar, Changwoo Do, Jong Kahk Keum

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Understanding the formation mechanism of giant molecular clusters is essential for rational design and synthesis of cluster-based nanomaterials with required morphologies and functionalities. Here, typical synthetic reactions of a 2.9 nm spherical molybdenum oxide cluster, {Mo132} (formula: [MoVI72MoV60O372(CH3COO)30(H2O)72]42-), with systematically varied reaction parameters have been fully explored to determine the morphologies and concentration of products, reduction of metal centers, and chemical environments of the organic ligands. The growth of these clusters shows a typical sigmoid curve, suggesting a general multistep self-assembly mechanism for the formation of giant molecular clusters. The reaction starts with a lag phase period when partial MoVI centers of molybdate precursors are reduced to form {MoV2(acetate)} structures under the coordination effect of the acetate groups. Once the concentration of {MoV2(acetate)} reaches a critical value, it triggers the co-assembly of MoV and MoVI species into the giant clusters.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)10623-10629
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume138
Issue number33
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 24 2016

Funding

The research performed in BL-6 (EQSANS) at ORNLs Spallation Neutron Source was sponsored by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

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