Shiv N. Khanna
Department of Physics,
Virginia Commonwealth University
September 28, 2009
Size selected stable clusters have the potential to mimic the chemistry of elements in the periodic table and can be regarded as “superatoms” forming a third dimension to the periodic table. The talk will focus on this intriguing discovery and its implication for creating nanoscale materials with tunable characteristics. Specific examples illustrating how the clusters of the most easily oxidized solids can display extreme resistance to oxidation, clusters with specific geometry that can split water to generate hydrogen on demand, and clusters that display novel magnetic properties will be presented. Recent protocols that enable us to synthesize materials from the new building blocks will be discussed. Finally, the talk will present our recent applications of nanoparticles to medical areas, specifically contrast imaging and treatment of brain tumors.
