title: Metal Transition in Sodium-Ammonia Nanodroplets.
abstract: The famous nonmetal-to-metal transition in Na-ammonia solutions is investigated in nanoscale solution droplets by photoelectron spectroscopy. In agreement with the bulk solutions, a strong indication for a transition to the metallic state is found at an average metal concentration of 8.8±2.2 mole%. The smallest entity for the phase transition to be observed consists of approximately 100-200 solvent molecules. The quantification of this critical entity size is a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding of these quantum-classical solutions through direct modeling at the molecular level.
authors: Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Hartweg
authors: Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors: Adam H C
authors: AH
authors: West
authors: Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors: Bruce L
authors: BL
authors: Yoder
authors: Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland. rsignorell@ethz.ch.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Signorell
keywords: electron binding energy; electronic structure; metal-ammonia solutions; photoelectron anisotropy; solvated electrons