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Monday, 4th August 2008 (2441 views)

By studying gold, scientists have found atoms rearrange themselves differently when they are charged to when they are not charged.

Researchers from the Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences in Canada, the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Berlin and scientists working with the Felix free electron laser at the FOM Institute in Rijnhuizen in the Netherlands together made the discovery.

A mass spectrometer and a infrared spectrometer were combined together to show the structures of uncharged gold nanoparticles.

"It is possible that nanoparticles of precious metals are suitable candidates for catalysts in important reactions in the chemical industry," said Andre Fielicke from the Fritz Haber Institute.

In addition, scientists working with Mr Fielicke have also developed a technique to determine the structure of neutral gold clusters.

Also studied at the Fritz Haber Institute is physical chemistry, molecular physics, chemical physics, inorganic chemistry and theory.

 

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