Infrared Spectra and Pyrolysis of Selected Molecular Models of Coal: Insight from Density Functional Calculations

Equilibrium structures and infrared spectra of four typical molecular models of coal have been studied by density functional calculations. Combining theoretical calculations on the coal models with experimental FT-IR spectra of selected low rank perhydrous coals, a plausible molecular representation for this kind of coals was proposed, and its predicted IR spectra reasonably match the experimental observation. Calculations indicate that the cleavage of the C-C bridge bond for the coal structures considered here occurs at about 540 ℃ and the C-O ether bridge bond may break under temperature ranging from 500 to 600 ℃for the aryl-CH2-O-CH2-aryl ether bond or from 200 to 300 ℃ for the aryl-CH2-O-aryl ether bond, showing remarkable effect of the local structural environment. The coal model containing the carboxyl group may release CO2 at about 300 ℃ through the decarboxylation with a barrier of 69 kcal/mol.

Using density functional calculations to elucidate atomic ordering of Pd-Rh nanoparticles at sizes relevant for catalytic applications

Pd-Rh nanoparticles are known to easily undergo surface restructuring in reactive environment. This study quantifies, with the help of density functional(DFT) calculations and a novel topological approach, atomic ordering and surface segregation effects in Pd-Rh particles with compositions 1:3, 1:1 and 3:1 containing up to 201 atoms(ca. 1.7 nm). The obtained data are used to reliably optimise energetically preferred atomic orderings in inaccessible by DFT Pd-Rh particles containing thousands of atoms and exhibiting sizes exceeding 5 nm, which are typical for catalytic metal particles. It is outlined, how segregation effects on the surface arrangement of Pd-Rh nanoalloy catalysts induced by adsorbates can be evaluated in a simple way within the present modelling setup.

Density Functional Calculations of C–NO_2 Bond Dissociation Energies for Nitroalkanes Molecules

Bond dissociation energies for the removal of nitrogen dioxide group in some nitroalkane energetic materials have been calculated by using the three hybrid density functional theory （DFT） methods B3LYP, B3PW91 and B3P86 with 6-31g^＊＊ and 6-311g^＊＊ basis sets. The computed BDEs have been compared with the available experimental results. It is found that the B3P86 method with 6-31g^＊＊ and 6-311g^＊＊ basis sets can obtain satisfactory bond dissociation energies （BDEs）, which are in extraordinary agreement with the experimental data. Considering the smaller mean absolute deviation and maximum difference, the reliable B3P86/6-311g^＊＊ method was recommended to compute the BDEs for the removal of nitrogen dioxide group in the nitroalkane energetic materials. Using the method, the BDEs of 8 other nitroalkane energetic materials have been calculated and the maximum difference from experimental value is 1.76 kcal.mo1^-1 （for the BDE of tC4Hg-NOz）, which further proves the reliability of B3P86/6-311g^＊＊ method. In addition, it is noted that the BDEs of C-NO2 bond change slightly for main chain nitroalkane compounds with the maximum difference of only 3.43 kcal mo1^-1.

Structural and Electronic Properties of ConC3-/0 and ConC4-/0 （n=1-4） Clusters： Mass-Selected Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Calculations

We investigated the structural evolution and elecfronic properties of ConC3-/0 and ConC4-/0 （n=1-4） clusters by using mass-selected photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The adiabatic and vertical detachment energies of CO1-4C3- and COl-4C4- were obtained from their photoelectron spectra. By comparing the theoretical results with the experimental data, the global minimum structures were determined. The results indicate that the carbon atoms of ConC3-/0 and ConC4-/0 （n=1-4） are separated from each other gradually with increasing number of cobalt atoms but a C2 unit still remains at n=4. It is interesting that the Co2C3- and Co2C4- anions have planar structures whereas the neutral Co2C3 and Co2C4 have linear structures with the Co atoms at two ends. The Co3C3- anion has a planar structure with a Co2C2 four-membered ring and a Co3C four-membered ring sharing a Co-Co bond, while the neutral Co3C3 is a three-dimensional structure with a C2 unit and a C atom connecting to two faces of the Co3 triangle.

Effect of Pd doping on CH_4 reactivity over Co_3O_4 catalysts from density-functional theory calculations

Palladium oxide(PdOx)and cobalt oxide(Co3O4)are efficient catalysts for methane(CH4)combustion,and Pd‐doped Co3O4catalysts have been found to exhibit better catalytic activities,which suggest synergism between the two components.We carried out first‐principles calculations at the PBE+U level to investigate the Pd‐doping effect on CH4reactivity over the Co3O4catalyst.Because of the structural complexity of the Pd‐doped Co3O4catalyst,we built Pd‐doped catalyst models using Co3O4(001)slabs with two different terminations and examined CH4reactivity over the possible Pd?O active sites.A low energy barrier of0.68eV was predicted for CH4dissociation over the more reactive Pd‐doped Co3O4(001)surface,which was much lower than the0.98and0.89eV that was predicted previously over the more reactive pure Co3O4(001)and(011)surfaces,respectively.Using a simple model,we predicted CH4reaction rates over the pure Co3O4(001)and(011)surfaces,and Co3O4(001)surfaces with different amounts of Pd dopant.Our theoretical results agree well with the available experimental data,which suggests a strong synergy between the Pd dopant and the Co3O4catalyst,and leads to a significant increase in CH4reaction rate.

Transition‐metal‐atom‐pairs deposited on g‐CN monolayer for nitrogen reduction reaction:Density functional theory calculations

The development of highly active DFT catalysts for an electrocatalytic N_(2)reduction reaction(NRR)under mild conditions is a difficult challenge.In this study,a series of atom‐pair catalysts(APCs)for an NRR were fabricated using transition‐metal(TM)atoms(TM=Sc−Zn)doped into g‐CN monolayers.The electrochemical mechanism of APCs for an NRR has been reported by well‐defined density functional theory calculations.The calculated limiting potentials were−0.47 and−0.78 V for the Fe_(2)@CN and Co_(2)@CN catalysts,respectively.Owing to its high suppression of hydrogen evolution reactions,Co_(2)@CN is a superior electrocatalytic material for a N_(2)fixation.Stable Fe_(2)@CN may be a strongly attractive material for an NRR with a relatively low overpotential after an improvement in the selectivity.The two‐way charge transfer affirmed the donation‐acceptance procedure between N_(2)and Fe_(2)@CN or Co_(2)@CN,which play a crucial role in the activation of inert N≡N bonds.This study provides an in‐depth investigation into atom‐pair catalysts and will open up new avenues for highly efficient g‐CN‐based nanostructures for an NRR.

Tetraethylenepentamine-functionalized magnetic mesoporous composites as a novel adsorbent for the removal Cr(Ⅲ)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid in complex solution

A novel tetraethylenepentamine(TEPA) functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica adsorbent(FNMs/TEPA) was prepared for the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA)from wastewater. The characterization of the prepared adsorbent certified that TEPA was modified onto the magnetic mesoporous silicon(FNMs), while FNMs/TEPA maintained the ordered mesoporous and pristine magnetic properties. The batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that TEPA significantly enhanced the removal capacity of the adsorbent for Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA. FNMs/TEPA exhibited an excellent adsorption property(13.84 mg·g-1) at p H 4.0. Even in the presence of high concentrations of coexisting ions and organic acids, the adsorption performance of FNMs/TEPA was stable. Experimental characterization and DFT demonstrated that the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA was ascribed to the electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and complexation between Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA and amino groups on the adsorbent surface. The analysis of the independent gradient model(IGM) shows that electrostatic interaction is the main mode of action in the adsorption process. Moreover, FNMs/TEPA demonstrated remarkable reusability in three regeneration cycles. These findings indicated that FNMs/TEPA possessed excellent application prospects in the disposal of wastewater containing Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA.

Ultraviolet laser ionization studies of 1-fluoronaphthalene clusters and density functional theory calculations

This paper studies supersonic jet-cooled 1-fluoronaphthalene （1FN） clusters by ultraviolet （UV） laser ionization at 281 nm in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The （1FN）＋ （n=1-3） series cluster ions are observed where the signal intensity decreases with increasing cluster size. The effects of sample inlet pressures and ionization laser fluxes to mass spectral distribution are measured. Using density functional theory calculations, it obtains a planar geometric structure of 1FN dimer which is combined through two hydrogen bonds. The mass spectra indicate that the intensity of 1FN trimer is much weaker than that of 1FN dimer and this feature is attributed to the fact that the dimer may form the first ＂shell＂ in geometric structure while the larger clusters are generated based on this fundamental unit.

New ternary superconducting compound LaRu2As2： Physical properties from density functional theory calculations

In this paper, we perform the density functional theory （DFT） -based calculations by the first-principles pseudopo- tential method to investigate the physical properties of the newly discovered superconductor LaRu2As2 for the first time. The optimized structural parameters are in good agreement with the experimental results. The calculated independent elas- tic constants ensure the mechanical stability of the compound. The calculated Cauchy pressure, Pugh＇s ratio as well as Poisson＇s ratio indicate that LaRu2As2 should behave as a ductile material. Due to low Debye temperature, LaRu2As2 may be used as a thermal barrier coating （TBC） material. The new compound should exhibit metallic nature as its valence bands overlap considerably with the conduction bands. LaRu2As2 is expected to be a soft material and easily machinable because of its low hardness value of 6.8 GPa. The multi-band nature is observed in the calculated Fermi surface. A highly anisotropic combination of ionic, covalent and metallic interactions is expected to be in accordance with charge density calculation.

Impact of Arsenic Related Defects on Electronic Performance of ZrO2/GaAs:Density Functional Theory Calculations

Arsenic can diffuse into high-κ dielectrics during OaAs-based metal oxide semiconductor transistor process, which causes the degradation of gate dielectrics. To explore the origins of the degradation, we employ nonlocal B3LYP hybrid functional to study arsenic related defects in ZrO2. Via band alignments between the OaAs and ZrO2, we are able to determine the defect formation energy in the GaAs relative to the ZrO2 band gap and assess how they will affect the device performance. Arsenic at the interstitial site serves as a source of positive fixed charge while at the oxygen or zirconium substitutional site changes its charge state within the band gap of GaAs. Moreover, it is found that arsenic related defects produce conduction band offset reduction and gap states, which will increase the gate leakage current.

Elastic properties of Nb-based alloys by using the density functional theory

A first-principles density functional approach is used to study the electronic and the elastic properties of Nb15X （X = Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W） alloys. The elastic constants cn and c12, the shear modulus CI, and the elastic modulus E（lOO） are found to exhibit similar tendencies, each as a function of valence electron number per atom （EPA）, while c44 seems unclear. Both cu and c12 of Nb15X alloys increase monotonically with the increase of EPA. The C/ and E000） also show similar tendencies. The elastic constants （except c44） increase slightly when alloying with neighbours of a higher d-transition series. Our results are supported by the bonding density distribution. When solute atoms change from Ti（Zr, Hf） to V（Ta） then to Cr（Mo, W）, the bonding electron density between the central solute atom and its first neighbouring Nb atoms is increased and becomes more anisotropic, which indicates the strong interaction and thus enhances the elastic properties of Nb-Cr（Mo, W） alloys. Under uniaxial {100） tensile loading, alloyed elements with less （more） valence electrons decrease （increase） the ideal tensile strength.

Design of high-performance ion-doped CoP systems for hydrogen evolution:From multi-level screening calculations to experiment

Rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)is vital for future renewable energy systems.The incorporation of foreign metal ions into catalysts can be an effective approach to optimize its performance.However,there is a lack of systematic theoretical studies to reveal the quantitative relationships at the electronic level.Here,we develop a multi-level screening methodology to search for highly stable and active dopants for CoP catalysts.The density functional theory(DFT)calculations and symbolic regression(SR)were performed to investigate the relationship between the adsorption free energy(ΔG_(H^(*)))and 10 electronic parameters.The mathematic formulas derived from SR indicate that the difference of work function(ΔΦ)between doped metal and the acceptor plays the most important role in regulatingΔG_(H^(*)),followed by the d-band center(d-BC)of doped system.The descriptor of HER can be expressed asΔG_(H^(*))=1.59×√|0.188ΔΦ+d BC+0.120|1/2-0.166 with a high determination coefficient(R^(2)=0.807).Consistent with the theoretical prediction,experimental results show that the Al-CoP delivers superior electrocatalytic HER activity with a low overpotential of75 m V to drive a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),while the overpotentials for undoped CoP,Mo-CoP,and V-CoP are 206,134,and 83 m V,respectively.The current work proves that theΔΦis the most significant regulatory parameter ofΔG_(H^(*))for ion-doped electrocatalysts.This finding can drive the discovery of high-performance ion-doped electrocatalysts,which is crucial for electrocatalytic water splitting.

Local Structure Analysis of Lead Zinc Niobate-Barium Titanate Ceramic by X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Density Functional Calculation

The local structure of an alternative Pb（Zn1/3Nb2/3）O3-based perovskite ceramic is investigated. The 0.07BaTiO33-0.93Pb（Zn1/3Nb2/3）O3 ceramic is synthesized using a combination of Zn3Nb2O8 B-site precursor and BaTiO33 perovskite phase stabilizer. Then, x-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory are employed to calculate the local structure configuration and formation energy of the prepared samples. Ba2＋ is found to replace Pb2＋ in AA-site with Zn2＋ occupying BB-site in Pb（Zn1/3Nb2/3）O3, while in the neighboring structure, Ti4＋4＋ replaces Nb5＋5＋ in BB-site with Pb2＋2＋ occupying AA-site. With the substitution of BaTiO33 in Pb（Zn1/3Nb2/3）O3, the bond length between Zn2＋ and Pb2＋ is longer than that of the typical perovskite phase of Pb（Zn1/3Nb2/3）O3. This indicates the key role of BaTiO33 in decreasing the steric hindrance of Pb2＋ lone pair, and the mutual interactions between Pb2＋ lone pair and Zn2＋ and the formation energy is seen to decrease. This finding of the formation energy and local structure configuration relationship can further extend a fundamental understanding of the role of BaTiO33 in stabilizing the perovskite phase in PbZn13Nb23O3-based materials, which in turn will lead to an improved preparation technique for desired electrical properties.

Density Functional Theory and Electrochemistry Studies on LiFexMn1-xPO4 Solid Solutions

The thermodynamic stability and lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 were studied with density functional theorical calculations. The results show that the formation free energy of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solution is slightly higher than that of the phase-separated mixture of LiFePO4 and LiMnPO4, and the two forms may co-exist in the actual LiFexMn1-xPO4 materials. The calculation manifests that the lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solutions vary via the Mn/Fe ratio and the spatial arrangements of the transition metal ions, and the result is used to explain the shape of capacity-voltage curves. Experimentally, we have synthesized the LiFexMn1-xPO4 materials by solid-phase reaction method. The existence of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solution is thought to be responsible for the appearance of additional capacity-voltage plateau observed in the experiment.

Density functional calculation of equilibrium geometry and electronic structure of pyrite

The equilibrium geometry and electronic structure of pyrite has been studied using self consistent density functional theory within the local density approximation (LDA). The optimum bulk geometry is in good agreement with crystallographic data. The calculated band structure and density of states in the region around the Fermi energy show that valence band maximum (VBM) is at X (100), and the conduction band minimum (CBM) is at G (000). The indirect and direct band gaps are 0.6?eV and 0.74?eV, respectively. The calculated contour map of difference of charge density shows excess charge in nonbonding d electron states on the Fe sites. The density increases between sulfur nuclei and between iron and sulfur nuclei qualitatively reveal that S-S bond and Fe-S bond are covalent binding.

Active MoS_(2)-based electrode for green ammonia synthesis

Nitrogen electro-reduction under mild conditions is one promising alternative approach of the energyconsuming Haber-Bosch process for the artificial ammonia synthesis.One critical aspect to unlocking this technology is to discover the catalysts with high selectivity and efficiency.In this work,the N_(2)-to-NH_(3)conversion on the functional MoS_(2)is fully investigated by density functional theory calculations since the layered MoS_(2)provides the ideal platform for the elaborating copies of the nitrogenase found in nature,wherein the functionalization is achieved via basal-adsorption,basal-substitution or edge-substitution of transition metal elements.Our results reveal that the edge-functionalization is a feasible strategy for the activity promotion;however,the basal-adsorption and basal-substitution separately suffer from the electrochemical instability and the NRR inefficiency.Specifically,MoS_(2)functionalized via edge W-substitution exhibits an exceptional activity.The energetically favored reaction pathway is through the distal pathway and a limiting potential is less than 0.20 V.Overall,this work escalates the rational design of the high-effective catalysts for nitrogen fixation and provides the explanation why the predicated catalyst have a good performance,paving the guidance for the experiments.

Li-promoted C_(3)N_(4) catalyst for efficient isomerization of glucose into fructose at 50℃ in water

Efficient and selective glucose-to-fructose isomerization is a crucial step for production of oxygenated chemicals derived from sugars,which is usually catalyzed by base or Lewis acid heterogeneous catalyst.However,high yield and selectivity of fructose cannot be simultaneously obtained under mild conditions which hamper the scale of application compared with enzymatic catalysis.Herein,a Li-promoted C_(3)N_(4) catalyst was exploited which afforded an excellent fructose yield(40.3 wt%)and selectivity(99.5%)from glucose in water at 50℃,attributed to the formation of stable Li–N bond to strengthen the basic sites of catalysts.Furthermore,the so-formed N_(6)–Li–H_(2)O active site on Li–C_(3)N_(4) catalyst in aqueous phase changes the local electronic structure and strengthens the deprotonation process during glucose isomerization into fructose.The superior catalytic performance which is comparable to biological pathway suggests promising applications of lithium containing heterogeneous catalyst in biomass refinery.

Molecule functionalization to facilitate electrocatalytic oxygen reduction on graphdiyne

Chemical doping is verified to be a promising strategy to regulate local electron distribution and further promote the poor intrinsic catalytic activity of graphdiyne.However,the current doping approach still faces problems such as precise doping for creating active sites and the destruction of graphdiyne skeleton calling for high temperature.Here,we achieved charge redistribution on graphdiyne surface through molecule functionalization.A p-type molecule–F4 TCNQ(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodime thane)was introduced and the site-defined functionalization was accomplished.Theoretical calculations showed that the charge transfer ability is improved and graphdiyne becomes positively charged.The oxygen reduction electrocatalysis was conducted as a proof of principle,where the electronic states of sp hybridized C active site was tuned toward favorable reaction intermediates’adsorption.Such work from both theoretical prediction and experimental validation,found that molecule functionalization is effective to promote the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction,which creates new possibilities for graphdiyne’s applications in different electrochemical reactions.

Revealing interfacial charge redistribution of homologous Ru-RuS_(2) heterostructure toward robust hydrogen oxidation reaction

Precisely tailoring the surface electronic structures of electrocatalysts for optimal hydrogen binding energy and hydroxide binding energy is vital to improve the sluggish kinetics of hydrogen oxidation reac-tion(HOR).Herein,we employ a partial desulfurization strategy to construct a homologous Ru-RuS_(2) heterostructure anchored on hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres(Ru-RuS_(2)@C).The disparate work functions of the heterostructure contribute to the spontaneous formation of a unique built-in electric field,accelerating charge transfer and boosting conductivity of electrocatalyst.Consequently,Ru-RuS_(2)@C exhibits robust HOR electrocatalytic activity,achieving an exchange current density and mass activity as high as 3.56 mA cm^(-2) and 2.13 mAμg_(Ru)^(-1),respectively.exceeding those of state-of-the-art Pt/C and most contemporary Ru-based HOR electrocatalysts.Surprisingly,Ru-RuS_(2)@C can tolerate 1000 ppm of cO that lacks in Pt/C.Comprehensive analysis reveals that the directional electron transfer across Ru-RuS_(2) heterointerface induces local charge redistribution in interfacial region,which optimizes and balances the adsorption energies of H and OH species,as well as lowers the energy barrier for water formation,thereby promoting theHoR performance.

Mg/Fe site-specific dual-doping to boost the performance of cobalt-free nickle-rich layered oxide cathode for high-energy lithium-ion batteries

Layer-type LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2is promising to be the primary cathode material for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)due to its excellent electrochemical performance.Unfortunately,the cathode with high nickel content suffers from severely detrimental structural transformation that causes rapid capacity attenuation.Herein,site-specific dual-doping with Fe and Mg ions is proposed to enhance the structural stability of LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2.The Fe3+dopants are inserted into transition metal sites(3b)and can favorably provide additional redox potential to compensate for charge and enhance the reversibility of anionic redox.The Mg ions are doped into the Li sites(3a)and serve as O_(2)^(-)-Mg^(2+)-O_(2)^(-)pillar to reinforce the electrostatic cohesion between the two adjacent transition-metal layers,which further suppress the cracking and the generation of harmful phase transitions,ultimately improving the cyclability.The theoretical calculations,including Bader charge and crystal orbital Hamilton populations(COHP)analyses,confirm that the doped Fe and Mg can form stable bonds with oxygen and the electrostatic repulsion of O_(2)^(-)-O_(2)^(-)can be effectively suppressed,which effectively mitigates oxygen anion loss at the high delithiation state.This dual-site doping strategy offers new avenues for understanding and regulating the crystalline oxygen redox and demonstrates significant potential for designing high-performance cobalt-free nickel-rich cathodes.