Metal nanoclusters and nanomaterials are typically produced by laser ablation of pure metals or chemical reduction of metal salts. The resulting nanomaterials are used a variety of applications including surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and heterogeneous catalysis. Nanoclusters can be studied in the gas phase via ion/molecule reactions or put down onto a surface for catalysis studies. In this study, electrospray of metal salts (with selected anions) is followed by thermal release of the anion to give the noble metal cations. As an extreme example, silver fluoride upon thermal heating gives both cationic and anionic silver clusters. Understanding the differences in reactivity between cationic and anionic metals is of interest.
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