Cover Feature: Stability and Reversible Oxidation of Sub-Nanometric Cu5 Metal Clusters: Integrated Experimental Study and Theoretical Modeling

Bare clusters of five Cu atoms, synthesized electrochemically, display remarkable oxidation stability on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. They exhibit reversible O2 adsorption, transitioning between various Cu oxidation states with changes in temperature and O2 pressure. In-situ XPS and XANES spectroscopy experiments, along with theoretical characterizations of Cu5–(O2)n complexes, provide direct evidence of the Cu5 clusters’ O2 stability