Self-Assembly of Polyoxometalate Clusters into Nanostructures with Different Dimensions

Self-assembly of polyoxometalate (POM) clusters offers a viable method for constructing nanostructures with tailored properties. Over the past few decades, POMs-based nanostructures of varying dimensions, such as nanowires, nanobelts, nanosheets, and other superstructures, have been constructed. Additionally, these nanostructures show broad prospects in optical, electrochemical, catalytic, and mechanical applications. Particularly noteworthy are surface modifications, such as surfactant encapsulation, which yield amphiphilic POMs. These modifications render the POMs compatible with organic systems, significantly broadening their morphological and functional applicability. This concept provides an overview of recent advancements in nanostructures based on self-assembly of surfactant encapsulated POM clusters, encompassing one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) structures. Through surfactant encapsulation, POM clusters can be rendered compatible with various solvents, facilitating the formation of hybrid assemblies with diverse morphologies and unique properties. The structures, formation mechanisms, and properties of these sub-nanometer assemblies are discussed from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. This concept aims to provide a new insight into the design and fabrication of nanostructures based on POM clusters.