title: Thermodynamic stability of clusters of molybdenum oxide.
abstract: We show that a single geometrical rule underlies the stability of "polyoxomolybdates", the variety of clusters of molybdenum(VI) oxide in (acidified) aqueous solution that are found experimentally. We predict that upon increasing the proton or total molybdenum oxide concentration, the average size of the clusters increases. We compare our predictions with results from ultracentrifugation experiments and with data in the literature. Finally, it is shown that the formation of metal oxide clusters is thermodynamically equivalent to the formation of surfactant micelles.
authors.affiliation: Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Research Institute, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ivana L j
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Validzic
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Hooijdonk
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oosterhout
authors.forename: Willem K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kegel