Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Nanoclusters: From Irregular Assembly to Crystalline Assembly

The persistent efforts toward achieving superior properties for assembled nanoscale particles have been hindered due to the resulting polydispersity associated with colloidal routes of synthesis. A solution to this limitation seems to have emerged through the advent of ligand-protected atomic clusters. In this case, the ligands stabilizing the clusters are highly reactive and thus provide a facile avenue for the "ligand-mediated spatial organization of nanoclusters".

Thus, a dispersion of atomic clusters typically constitutes of structurally and chemically related species. Hence, the perusal of chemical reactions toward achieving complex nanostructures in a controllable manner could yield self-assembled nanoclusters with multiple functions and collective properties, widening their application potential.

Together, we embark on a journey to unlock approaches to materials chemistry developed for assembling atomically precise clusters into higher-ordered structures in various dimensions.