When ions and molecules cluster

The electric charge of atoms or molecules zaps science’s ability to predict how these ions will behave when combined with others. Different ions with the same charge cause different effects. How an ion behaves when isolated under an analytical instrument can differ from how it behaves in the environment. Now Dr. Xue-Bin Wang at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is bringing ions and molecules together in clusters to better discover their properties and predict their behavior. The invited feature article was published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry A, noted on the cover, and awarded the American Chemical Society’s coveted Editors’ Choice.