Chapter 10: ?Thermodynamic modeling of metallic nanoclusters?

O. A. OVIEDO; E.P.M. LEIVA

Metal Clusters and Nanoalloys

Springer

Lugar: New York; Año: 2013; p. 305 - 350

In the present chapter we give an overview on the most recent advances in kinetic, thermodynamic and computational studies devoted to understand and predict size control of metal nanoparticles. We focus on theoretical and computational models and show how these concepts lead to the preparation of monodisperse nanoparticle assemblies. Our purpose is neither to make a complete historical compilation of all the related work nor to give an extensive review on the subject (there are several excellent reviews cited here on this topic), but rather to introduce the reader steadily and comprehensively into the models currently used. In this respect, it is worth noting that the big gap existing between the theoretical-mathematical formulation of nucleation and growth and the experimental control of the formation of nanoparticles is right starting to be bridged, and that there is still a considerably long way to go before quantitative predictions can be made. In Section I we briefly survey the historical evolution of the concepts of nucleation and growth, making reference to motivations, problems and ?wherever possible- solutions proposed. In Section II we present the basic concepts of nanothermodynamics, statistical mechanics and nucleation theorems, followed by their extension to electrochemical systems. In Sections III and IV we present the main ideas involved in nanoparticle size control, from the viewpoint of kinetics (III) and thermodynamics (IV).