Theoretical Investigation of silver clusters in zeolites

The structure and stability of Agn+ 3 clusters (n = 1, 2, 3) in zeolite Y and their photochemical properties are investigated. Silver-exchanged zeolites have potential technological applications as UV-to-visible light converters. The structure and stability of silver clusters were examined using the periodic den- sity functional theory (DFT), and employing a developed and programmed geometry optimization driver. Non-reduced silver cations are preferably lo- cated in 6-member rings, far from each other. Upon a partial reduction, trigonal clusters are formed in the sodalite cages. The photochemical prop- erties are examined by various methods including the EOM-CCSD, MRPT2 and TD-DFT. No charge transfer transitions from ligands to silver clusters are found. Instead, transitions involving d and s electrons on silver clusters fall in the visible spectral range. Our results contradict the previous sugges- tion proposing existence of linear silver clusters through a double-6-member ring unit. Both parts of our investigations (structural and photochemical) disprove this previous proposition. A new interpretation of experimental spectra is proposed-the reduced trigonal silver cluster is responsible for photoactivity of Ag-doped zeolites with a low silver loading. Theoretical in- vestigation reported in this..