Emergence in inorganic polyoxometalate cluster systems: From dissipative dynamics to artificial life

Abstract

Polyoxometalates are a subset of metal oxides that represent a diverse range of molecular clusters with an almost unmatched range of physical properties and the ability to form dynamic structures that can bridge multiple length scales from the nanoscale to the micron scale. In this article the prospect of developing emergent, complex and possibly even life-like systems with inorganic building blocks based upon polyoxometalates is discussed. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.