100 results about "Nanoclusters" patented technology

Metal nanoclusters consist of a small number of atoms, at most in the tens. These nanoclusters can be composed either of a single or of multiple elements, and typically measure less than 2 nm. Such nanoclusters exhibit attractive electronic, optical, and chemical properties compared to their larger counterparts. Materials can be categorized into three different regimes, namely bulk, nanoparticles or nanostructures and atomic clusters. Bulk metals are electrical conductors and good optical reflectors, while metal nanoparticles display intense colors due to surface plasmon resonance. When the size of metal nanoclusters is further reduced, to 1 nm or less, in other words to just a few atoms, the band structure becomes discontinuous and breaks down into discrete energy levels, somewhat similar to the energy levels of molecules.