Electron and Spin Delocalization in [Co6 Se8 (PEt3 )6 ]0/+1 Superatoms

Molecular clusters can function as nanoscale atoms/superatoms, assembling into superatomic solids, a new class of solid-state materials with designable properties through modifications on superatoms. To explore possibilities on diversifying building blocks, here we thoroughly studied one representative superatom, Co6 Se8 (PEt3 )6 . We probed its structural, electronic, and magnetic properties and revealed its detailed electronic structure as valence electrons delocalize over inorganic [Co6 Se8 ] core while ligands function as an insulated shell. 59 Co SSNMR measurements on the core and 31 P, 13 C on the ligands show that the neutral Co6 Se8 (PEt3 )6 is diamagnetic and symmetric, with all ligands magnetically equivalent. Quantum computations cross-validate NMR results and reveal degenerate delocalized HOMO orbitals, indicating aromaticity. Ligand substitution keeps the inorganic core nearly intact. After losing one electron, the unpaired electron in [Co6 Se8 (PEt3 )6 ]+1 is delocalized, causing paramagnetism and a delocalized electron spin. Notably, this feature of electron/spin delocalization over a large cluster is attractive for special single-electron devices.

High-Spin Superatom Stabilized by Dual Subshell Filling

Quantum confinement in small symmetric clusters leads to the bunching of electronic states into closely packed shells, enabling the classification of clusters with well-defined valences as superatoms. Like atoms, superatomic clusters with filled shells exhibit enhanced electronic stability. Here, we show that octahedral transition-metal chalcogenide clusters can achieve filled shell electronic configurations when they have 100 valence electrons in 50 orbitals or 114 valence electrons in 57 orbitals. While these stable clusters are intrinsically diamagnetic, we use our understanding of their electronic structures to theoretically predict that a cluster with 107 valence electrons would uniquely combine high stability and high-spin magnetic moment, attained by filling a majority subshell of 57 electrons and a minority subshell of 50 electrons. We experimentally demonstrate this predicted stability, high-spin magnetic moment (S = 7/2), and fully delocalized electronic structure in a new cluster, [NEt₄]₅[Fe₆S₈(CN)₆]. This work presents the first computational and experimental demonstration of the importance of dual subshell filling in transition-metal chalcogenide clusters.

Microporous Battery Electrodes from Molecular Cluster Precursors

Developing novel energy storage materials is critical to many renewable energy technologies. In this work, we report on the synthesis and electrochemical properties of materials composed of porous cobalt selenide microspheres prepared from molecular cluster precursors. The cobalt selenide microspheres excel as Na⁺ ion battery electrode materials, with a specific capacity of ∼550 mA h/g and excellent cycling stability of 85% over 100 cycles, and perform equally well as Li⁺ ion battery electrodes with a specific capacity of ∼600 mA h/g and cycling stability of 80% over 100 cycles. Materials which reversibly store large amounts of Na⁺ ions are uncommon, and these performances represent significant advances in the field. More broadly, this work establishes metal chalcogenide molecular clusters as valuable precursors for creating new, tunable energy storage materials.

Tuning the electronic properties of hexanuclear cobalt sulfide superatoms via ligand substitution

The electronic properties of the Co₆S₈L₈ superatom can be tuned by changing its ligand composition while maintaining its electron count and closed shell.

Molecular clusters are attractive superatomic building blocks for creating materials with tailored properties due to their unique combination of atomic precision, tunability and functionality. The ligands passivating these superatomic clusters offer an exciting opportunity to control their electronic properties while preserving their closed shells and electron counts, which is not achievable in conventional atoms. Here we demonstrate this concept by measuring the anion photoelectron spectra of a series of hexanuclear cobalt sulfide superatomic clusters with different ratios of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing ligands, Co₆S₈(PEt₃)_6–x(CO)_x (x = 0–3). We find that Co₆S₈(PEt₃)₆ has a low electron affinity (EA) of 1.1 eV, and that the successive replacement of PEt₃ ligands with CO gradually shifts its electronic spectrum to lower energy and increases its EA to 1.8 eV. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the increase of EA results from a monotonic lowering of the cluster highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO). Our work provides unique insights into the electronic structure and tunability of superatomic building blocks.