Advanced Materials, Vol.8, No.5, 428-433, 1996
Nanocrystal gold molecules
Gold nanocrystals passivated by self-assembled monolayers of straight-chain alkylthiolate molecules have been obtained as highly purified molecular materials of high intrinsic stability. Evidence is presented for a predicted discrete sequence of energetically optimal fee structures of a truncated octahedral morphological motif (see cover). The nanocrystal materials have a propensity to form extended superlattices, such as that in the Figure.