Magnetic properties and the superatom character of 13-atom platinum nanoclusters

Abstract

13-atom platinum nanoclusters have been synthesized quantitatively in the pores of the zeolites NaY and KL. They reveal highly interesting magnetic properties like high-spin states, a blocking temperature, and super-diamagnetism, depending heavily on the loading of chemisorbed hydrogen. Additionally, EPR active states are observed. All of these magnetic properties are understood best if one considers the near-spherical clusters as analogs of transition metal atoms with low-spin and high-spin states, and with delocalized molecular orbitals which have a structure similar to that of atomic orbitals. These clusters are, therefore, called superatoms, and it is their analogy with normal atoms which is in the focus of the present work, but further phenomena, like the observation of a magnetic blocking temperature and the possibility of superconductivity, are discussed.