Reversible Interconversion in Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters

Abstract

Reversible interconversion in atomically precise metal nanoclusters (MNCs) holds utmost significance in constructing new functional materials for multi-faceted applications and understanding the fundamental mechanism of structural evolution. Over the decade, the investigations on irreversible structural transformation have flourished, and thereby most of the reviews deal with the discussion on their recent progress and future possibilities. However, the comprehensive discussion on reversible structural transformation has not been precisely reported in the literature, which instigates us to an accumulating discussion on this topic. In this discussion, we attempted to cover the recent advances on reversible structural transformation, categorized them based on the external parameters, and opened an avenue for future exploration. We sequentially discussed ligand, solvent, temperature, and photo-induced structural transformation with suitable literature reports, with a special emphasis on photo-induced interconversion. We included an elaborate discussion on our interesting investigation on particle-assisted photo-induced reversible interconversion, which is introduced as particle-assisted reversible interconversion (PARI). This document undoubtedly discloses an emerging aspect of MNCs and their future possibilities, benefitting a wider readership.