The Decmon-type Decahedral Motif In Metallic Nanoparticles

Abstract

Structural and energy stability results for a new class of decahedral structural motif termed decmon (Montejano's decahedra) are presented. After making proper truncations to the regular icosahedron, this structural motif presents exposed <100> and <111> facets, whose energetic competition make the structures very stable. It is also identified structural transitions as a function of the cluster size, the appearing and competition of surface reconstruction, and an outline for a path transformation from the Mackay icosahedra (I_h) to the regular decahedra (D_h) symmetry structures, as well as experimental evidence of the decmon decahedral motif in metallic nanoparticles.