Rapid isotopic exchange in nanoparticles.

Rapid solution-state exchange dynamics in nanoscale pieces of matter is revealed, taking isotopically pure atomically precise clusters as examples. As two isotopically pure silver clusters made of 107Ag and 109Ag are mixed, an isotopically mixed cluster of the same entity results, similar to the formation of HDO, from H2O and D2O. This spontaneous process is driven by the entropy of mixing and involves events at multiple time scales.