Reactions of cobalt clusters with deuterium

The kinetics of chemical reactions of cobalt clusters Co_n with deuterium are described. Absolute rate constants have been measured in the size range n=7–68 at 293 K. The rate constants are found to be a strong function of cluster size, varying by a factor of 400. This size dependence is most prominent for n=7 to 25: Co₁₅ is the most reactive cluster, and Co_7–9 and Co_19–20 are particularly unreactive. Abrupt changes in the rate constants from one cluster size to the next are observed. For the clusters above n=25, the rate constants show several less prominent maxima and minima superimposed on a slow, nearly monotonic increase with cluster size.