The classical nucleation theory (CNT) is the most common theoretical framework used to explain particle formation. However, nucleation is a complex process with reaction pathways which are often not covered by the CNT. Herein, we study the formation mechanism of copper nanospheres using in situ X‐ray absorption and scattering measurements. We reveal that their nucleation involves coordination polymer lamellae as pre‐nucleation structures occupying a local minimum in the reaction energy landscape. Having learned this, we achieved a superior monodispersity for Cu nanospheres of different sizes. This report exemplifies the importance of developing a more realistic picture of the mechanism involved in the formation of inorganic nanoparticles to develop a rational approach to their synthesis.

中文翻译：

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原位X射线研究证明，聚合物薄片作为反应中间体在铜纳米球的形成中。

经典的成核理论（CNT）是用于解释粒子形成的最常见的理论框架。然而，成核是具有反应路径的复杂过程，该反应路径通常未被CNT覆盖。在这里，我们使用原位X射线吸收和散射测量研究了铜纳米球的形成机理。我们发现，它们的成核过程涉及配位聚合物薄片，因为预成核结构在反应能图中占据了局部最小值。了解了这一点后，我们对不同尺寸的Cu纳米球实现了优异的单分散性。这份报告例证了开发更逼真的无机纳米颗粒形成过程机理的重要性，以开发合理的合成方法。