Titanium-Oxo Clusters in Hybrid Nanostructures
Summary
Titanium-oxo clusters are discrete molecular assemblies in which titanium centres are connected by oxo (O2–) bridges to form well-defined cores ranging from a few to several tens of metal atoms. These clusters offer atomic precision in composition and structure, serving as model systems for bulk titania and as functional building blocks in hybrid nanostructures. By combining titanium-oxo clusters with organic ligands, polymeric matrices or two-dimensional supports, researchers have created materials that integrate the advantageous photocatalytic, electronic and optical properties of Ti–O frameworks with the processability and tunability of soft matter and nanostructured scaffolds. Such hybrid assemblies find application in heterogeneous catalysis, photovoltaics, sensing and environmental remediation, where precise control over cluster size, surface functionality and hierarchical organisation dictates performance. Advances in supramolecular assembly and post-synthetic modification have further enabled the fabrication of hierarchical composites that marry cluster-based reactivity with mesoscale connectivity, opening avenues for bespoke nanomaterials with enhanced charge-separation efficiency and tailored band gaps.
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Titanium-Oxo Clusters in Hybrid Nanostructures publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in titanium-oxo clusters in hybrid nanostructures across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Titanium-oxo cluster: A discrete molecular assembly of titanium ions bridged by oxide ligands forming a defined core structure.
Hybrid nanostructure: A composite material combining nanoscale inorganic clusters with organic, polymeric or two-dimensional supports to achieve synergistic properties.
μ-oxo ligand: An oxygen atom that bridges two metal centres within a cluster, denoted by the prefix “μ” to indicate multinuclear coordination.
Metal-organic framework (MOF): A porous network constructed from metal clusters or ions linked by organic ligands, often exhibiting high surface area and tunable functionality.
Charge separation: The spatial partitioning of photoexcited electrons and holes that is essential for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical processes.
References
- Aggregation of titanium‐oxo clusters. Aggregate (2024).
- Photo-redox reactivity of titanium-oxo clusters: mechanistic insight into a two-electron intramolecular process, and structural characterisation of mixed-valent Ti( iii )/Ti( iv ) products. Chemical Science (2019).
- Using graphene oxide as a sacrificial support of polyoxotitanium clusters to replicate its two-dimensionality on pure titania photocatalysts. Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2016).
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