Does confinement alter the ionization energy and electron affinity of atoms?

Confinement causes drastic changes in bonding, reactivity and dynamics. Alkali metal atoms are excellent reducing agents due to their low ionization energies. On the other hand, high electron affinity values allow the halogen atoms to behave as powerful oxidizing agents. In this article, we have shown that those properties get changed in a confined environment created by two fullerenes differing in size.

Automated summary

The confinement caused by two fullerenes of different sizes leads to changes in the properties of alkali metal and halogen atoms, affecting their reducing and oxidizing abilities.