Numerous atomically precise coinage metal nanoclusters have been synthesized, exhibiting diverse structures and promising properties for catalytic and other functional applications. However, silver nanoclusters featuring layered core structures remain largely unexplored, limiting investigations into the effects of atomic arrangements on catalytic functions. Herein, we report the synthesis and atomic level structure of a novel thiolate-phosphine co-stabilized silver nanocluster, Ag26(SR)16(DPPE)4Cl2 (denoted as Ag26), where SR is 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzenethiolate and DPPE is 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that Ag26 comprises a three-layered Ag18 core, with each layer consisting of six silver atoms arranged in a distorted parallelogram configuration. This Ag18 core is stabilized by four Ag2(SR)4(DPPE) metal-ligand motifs and two chlorides. Notably, TiO2-supported Ag26 nanoclusters (Ag26/TiO2) demonstrated promising photocatalytic performance for solar-driven hydrogen production, achieving a hydrogen evolution rate of 2006 μmol·g−1·h−1, representing 16.2- and 6.5-fold enhancements compared to bare TiO2 support and similarly sized Ag25/TiO2 nanoclusters, respectively. The layered atomic arrangement in the Ag26 core favorably regulates the energy level alignment with TiO2, leading to efficient photogenerated charge separation and enhanced catalytic activity. This work highlights the potential of structurally tailored silver nanoclusters and offers valuable insights for the design of advanced materials for energy conversion applications.
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Nano Research 2025, 18(9): 94907950
Published: 02 September 2025
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