Melting dramatically enhances the reactivity of aluminum nanoclusters

The kinetic energy threshold for chemisorption of [N.sub.2] on [Al.sub.100.sup.+] is measured as a function of the nanocluster's temperature from 400 to 790 K. The decrease in the activation energy has resulted from the mobility of the surface atoms on the liquid cluster, which has allowed them to move to a lower energy arrangement as the [N.sub.2] approaches.