Geometrical indicators for magnetism in Pt clusters*

With "There is plenty of room at the bottom", Feynman points at the nanoscale where new phenomena take place, in particular when the behaviour of "a few" influences "many" particles. In particular, in nanoparticle physics, the lack of periodicity stabilises isomers whose morphology is impossible in crystalline bulk. At the same time, the physical properties of a mono-metallic nanocluster depend strongly on its shape and size. For example, catalytic properties rely on the presence of specific and diverse adsorption sites. By playing with size and shape of the nanocluster, we modify its properties towards tailored applications. We show that magnetism arising in nano-sized Pt objects is due to an effect present in the second coordination shell [1]. We demonstrate how magnetism is affected by the surrounding environment in the case of small Pt-nanoclusters embedded in zeolite pores [2]. Hopefully, we can identify geometrical indicators that help in designing clusters.
[1] C. DiPaola, R. D'Agosta, and F. Baletto, Nano Lett. 16, 2885 (2016).
[2] C. DiPaola, L. Pavan, R. D'Agosta, and F. Baletto, Nanoscale 9, 15658 (2017).