Metal Transition in Sodium–Ammonia Nanodroplets. (29th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hartweg, Sebastian; West, Adam H. C.; Yoder, Bruce L.; Signorell, Ruth
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie. Volume 128:Number 40(2016)
• Page Start: 12535
• Page End: 12538
• Publication Date: 2016-08-29
• Subjects: Ammoniakalische Metall-Lösungen -- Elektronenbindungsenergie -- Elektronische Strukturen -- Photoelektronenanisotropie -- Solvatisierte Elektronen; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/ange.201604282
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0044-8249

Abstract

Abstract: The famous nonmetal‐to‐metal transition in Na–ammonia solutions is investigated in nanoscale solution droplets by photoelectron spectroscopy. In agreement with the bulk solutions, a strong indication for a transition to the metallic state is found at an average metal concentration of 8.8±2.2 mole%. The smallest entity for the phase transition to be observed consists of approximately 100–200 solvent molecules. The quantification of this critical entity size is a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding of these quantum–classical solutions through direct modeling at the molecular level.