Probing the Electronic Structure of Metal Clusters and Multiply Charged Anions

华盛顿州立大学的王来生博士得到了实验物理化学项目的支持，继续他对原子簇的电子结构和气相中带电阴离子的研究。采用激光汽化簇源或电喷雾离子源的磁瓶飞行时间光分离光电子能谱仪进行实验。项目活动将集中于过渡金属簇、铝和镓、过渡金属氧化物和合金。研究原子团簇的目的是阐明其电子结构及其随团簇尺寸向团簇带结构的演化。此外，还将探讨多电荷阴离子中的库仑势垒、溶剂稳定效应、氧化物配合物作为催化中间体以及铁硫团簇配合物。这些结果有望提高对气相中多电荷阴离子的理解，包括它们的稳定性、能量学和溶剂化。原子团簇的电子结构及其随团簇大小的演化尚不清楚。原子团簇研究的结果将影响对与腐蚀、催化和氧化相关的化学的理解。提高金属元素间键合的原子水平知识将对开发新材料有价值。铁硫蛋白是生物系统中重要的电子传递剂，对铁硫簇阴离子的研究将有助于理解蛋白质的几何结构和性质。

Dr. Lai-Sheng Wang of Washington State University is supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program to continue his studies of the electronic structure of atomic clusters and multiply charged anions in the gas phase. A magnetic-bottle time-of-flight photodetachment photoelectron spectroscopy apparatus with laser vaporization cluster source or electrospray ion source will be employed to carry out the experiments. Project activities will focus on clusters of transition metals, aluminum and gallium, transition metal oxides, and alloys. The goal of the effort on atomic clusters is to elucidate their electronic structure and evolution with cluster size toward bulk band structure. In addition, Coulomb barriers in multiply charged anions, solvent stabilization effects, oxide complexes as catalytic intermediates, and iron-sulfur cluster complexes will be probed. The outcomes are expected to improve the understanding of multiply charged anions in the gas phase, including their stability, energetics, and solvation. The electronic structure of atomic clusters, and its evolution with cluster size, are not well understood. Outcomes from the atomic cluster research will impact the understanding of chemistry relevant to corrosion, catalysis, and oxidation. Improved atomic level knowledge of bonding between metallic elements will be valuable in developing new materials. Iron-sulfur proteins are important electron transfer agents in biological systems, and the iron-sulfur cluster anion studies will help in understanding the protein geometry and properties.