Giant magic-number metal clusters

Much larger clusters have, however, been found in a series of giant metal-cluster molecules, the metal cores of which are members of the series of so-called magic-number (full-shell) clusters depicted in Fig. They are obtained by surrounding 

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Giant clusters of Pd nanocrystals are obtained by the mesoscopic assembly of nanocrystals of uniform size. This observation provides an illustration of the principle of self-similarity. These clusters of metal nanocrystals are perhaps bound by the same laws that endow special stability to magic numbered nanocrystals. It would therefore appear that these laws are invariant under scaling. The giant clusters of Pdssi nanocrystals obtained by us are different from other types of ligand directed nanocrystal aggregates which are formed mostly due to the directional nature of the ligand shell. 

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