What is "nanoclusters"

n. (plural of nanocluster English)

A nanocluster is a grouping of a number of nanoparticles. Nanoclusters have at least one dimension between 1 and 10 nanometers and a narrow size distribution. The size of nanoclusters ranges from sub-nanometer to 10 nm in the diameter. In nanotechnology, a particle is defined as a small object that behaves as a whole unit with respect to its transport and properties. Nanoclusters have certain specific properties. Nanoclusters constitute an intermediate state of matter between molecules and solids. Nanoclusters are of technological interest in numerous areas of applied science (e.g. materials science, catalysis, (opto)electronics). They are fine aggregates of atoms or molecules. Nanoclusters consisting of up to a couple of hundred atoms, but larger aggregates containing 1000 or more atoms are called Nanoparticles. They are bound by forces, which may be metallic, covalent, ionic, or hydrogen bonds or Van der waals forces.