Probing the Electronic Structure of Metal Clusters and Multiply Charged Anions

华盛顿州立大学的王来胜博士得到实验物理化学计划的支持，继续研究气相中原子团簇和多电荷阴离子的电子结构。实验将采用磁瓶飞行时间光剥离光电子能谱仪和激光蒸发团簇源或电喷雾离子源进行。项目活动将侧重于过渡金属、铝和镓、过渡金属氧化物和合金的集群。 原子团簇的目标是阐明它们的电子结构和团簇尺寸向体能带结构的演化。 此外，多电荷阴离子中的库仑势垒，溶剂稳定效应，氧化物复合物作为催化中间体，以及铁硫簇合物将被探测。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还没有得到很好的理解。 原子团簇研究的结果将影响对腐蚀、催化和氧化相关化学的理解。在原子水平上对金属元素间键合的认识的提高对开发新材料将是有价值的。 铁硫蛋白是生物体系中重要的电子传递剂，对铁硫簇阴离子的研究有助于了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.