Chapter 7: Nanotechnology for Energy Storage and Efficiency

The advancement of nanostructured materials in recent years has significantly boosted the efficiency for achieving energy storage, conversion, and utilization. In support of the use of nanotechnology in energy fields, emerging research on special types of nanoparticles (i.e., thiolate group–stabilized nanoclusters of gold atoms, silver atoms, and other metal atoms) has vividly depicted the promising performance of nanotechnology in this area. The thiolate-protected nanoclusters refer to metal nanoparticles presenting a metal core, constituted by a few to several tens of noble metal atoms, and a protective surface thiolate layer. Owing to a smaller size than 2 nm with a strong quantum confinement effect, thiolate-protected nanoclusters possess unique physicochemical behaviors, including molecule-like HOMO–LUMO levels and high photoluminescence yield, which are distinct from large-sized materials (>3 nm)with the same composition and hold promising performances for a great variety of important uses in sensing, imaging, catalysis, energy, and so on. In this chapter, we mainly summarize the emerging research on gold and silver nanoclusters (Au NCs and Ag NCs), including their typical synthesis methods, strategies in controlling their various critical attributes, and their applications in the settings of energy storage and conversion.