Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Density Functional Investigation of Diniobium-Carbon Clusters

ORAL

Abstract

Experimental photoelectron and computational results show diniobium-carbon (Nb$_{2}$C$_{n})$ clusters to coexist in multiple structural isomers: three-dimensional geometries, planar rings and linear chains. Three-dimensional clusters having up to five carbons are formed preferentially with Nb-Nb bonding, whereas only Nb-C bonding is observed experimentally at six carbons. Clusters consisting of an odd number of atoms are also observed with linear geometries. The larger binary clusters (n $\ge$ 7) display properties similar to pure carbon clusters. We provide evidence for niobium substitution of carbon atoms.

*The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Grant FA9550-04-1-0066 and FA9550-05-1-0186 and from the Departement of the Army through MURI Grant \# W911NF-O6-1-0280.

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Authors

  • P.A. Clayborne

    • Virginia Commonwealth University

  • K.L. Knappenberger, Jr.

    • University of California, Berkeley and Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory

  • J.U. Reveles

    • Virgina Commonwealth University

  • M.A. Sobhy

  • C.E. Jones, Jr.

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • U.U. Gupta

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • I. Iordanov

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • J. Sofo

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • A.W. Castleman, Jr.

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • S.N. Khanna

    • Virginia Commonwealth University