title: A novel double-helical-kernel evolution pattern of gold nanoclusters: alternate single-stranded growth at both ends.
abstract: Studying the kernel evolution pattern of gold nanoclusters is intriguing but challenging due to the difficulty of precise size control and structure resolution. Herein, we successfully synthesized two novel gold nanoclusters, Au34(S-c-C6H11)22and Au42(S-c-C6H11)26(S-c-C6H11: cyclohexanethiolate), and resolved their structures. Interestingly, it was found that the kernel evolves from Au28(S-c-C6H11)20to Au34(S-c-C6H11)22and Au42(S-c-C6H11)26in a novel fashion: alternate single-stranded evolution at both ends, which is remarkably different from the reported double-stranded growth at the bottom for the 4-tert-butylbenzenethiolate (TBBT)-protected nanocluster series. This work illustrates the variety of kernel evolution patterns and the directionality of the ligands with respect to the evolution of the kernel. In addition, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) revealed that the electrochemical gap between the first oxidation and the first reduction potential decreases as the size increases from Au28(S-c-C6H11)20to Au34(S-c-C6H11)22and Au42(S-c-C6H11)26.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn and University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Lingwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn and University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors.forename: Shengli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Chuanhao
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6858-6560
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Jishi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Shubo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn and University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Instrumental Analysis Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China. zkwu@issp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Zhikun
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2711-3860
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu