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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Synergistic effect of carbon nanotube and encapsulated carbon layer enabling high-performance SnS_2-based anode for lithium storage

Tin disulfide(SnS_(2)),due to large interlayer spacing and high theoretical capacity,is regarded as a prospective anode material for lithium-ion batteries.Nevertheless,the poor electron conductivity of SnS_(2) and huge volumetric change during the lithiation/delithiation process lead to a rapid capacity decay of the battery,hindering its commercialization.To address these issues,herein,SnS_(2) is in-situ grown on the surface of carbon nanotubes(CNT)and then encapsulated with a layer of porous amorphous carbon(CNT/SnS_(2)@C)by simple solvothermal and further carbonization treatment.The synergistic effect of CNT and porous carbon layer not only enhances the electrical co nductivity of SnS_(2) but also limits the huge volumetric change to avoid the pulverization and detachment of SnS_(2).Density functional theo ry calculations show that CNT/SnS_(2)@C has high Li^(+)adsorption and lithium storage capacity achieving high reaction kinetics.Consequently,cells with the CNT/SnS_(2)@C anode exhibit a high lithium storage capacity of 837mAh/g after 100 cycles at 0.1 A/g and retaining a capacity of 529.8 mAh/g under 1.0 A/g after 1000 cycles.This study provides a fundamental understanding of the electrochemical processes and beneficial guidance to design high-performance SnS_(2)-based anodes for LIBs.

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.

Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of gold recovery from thiosulfate solution by ion exchange resin

The adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of gold from thiosulfate solution on strong-base anion exchange resin were systematically investigated.The comparison experiment of adsorption ability and selectivity for gold showed that gel Amberlite IRA-400 resin with Type Ⅰ quaternary ammonium functional group had better adsorption performance.The increases of resin dosage,ammonia concentration and solution pH were favorable to gold adsorption,whereas the rises of cupric and thiosulfate concentrations were disadvantageous to gold loading.Microscopic characterization results indicated that gold was adsorbed in the form of [Au(S_(2)O_(3))_(2)]^(3–) complex anion by exchanging with the counter ion Cl^(–) in the functional group of the resin.Density functional theory calculation result manifested that gold adsorption was mainly depended on the hydrogen bond and van der Waals force generated between O atom in [Au(S_(2)O_(3))_(2)]^(3–) and H atom in the quaternary ammonium functional group of the resin.

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.

Engineering single-atom Mn on nitrogen-doped carbon to regulate lithium-peroxide reaction kinetics for rechargeable lithium-oxygen batteries

Precision engineering of catalytic sites to guide more favorable pathways for Li_(2)O_(2) nucleation and decom-position represents an enticing kinetic strategy for mitigating overpotential,enhancing discharge capac-ity,and improving recycling stability of Li-O_(2) batteries.In this work,we employ metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)derivation and ion substitution strategies to construct atomically dispersed Mn-N_(4) moieties on hierarchical porous nitrogen-doped carbon(Mn SAs-NC)with the aim of reducing the over-potential and improving the cycling stability of Li-O_(2) batteries.The porous structure provides more chan-nels for mass transfer and exposes more highly active sites for electrocatalytic reactions,thus promoting the formation and decomposition of Li_(2)O_(2).The Li-O_(2) batteries with Mn SAs-NC cathode achieve lower overpotential,higher specific capacity(14290 mA h g^(-1) at 100 mAg^(-1)),and superior cycle stability(>100 cycles at 200 mA g^(-1))compared with the Mn NPs-NC and NC.Density functional theory(DFT)cal-culations reveal that the construction of Mn-N_(4) moiety tunes the charge distribution of the pyridinic N-rich vacancy and balances the affinity of the intermediates(LiO_(2) and Li_(2)O_(2)).The initial nucleation of Li_(2)O_(2) on Mn SAs-NC favors the O_(2)-→LiO_(2)→Li_(2)O_(2) surface-adsorption pathway,which mitigates the overpoten-tials of the oxygen reduction(ORR)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).As a result,Mn SAs-NC with Mn-N_(4) moiety effectively facilitates the Li_(2)O_(2) nucleation and enables its reversible decomposition.This work establishes a methodology for constructing carbon-based electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity for Li-O_(2)batteries.

Atomic orbitals modulated dual functional bimetallic phosphides derived from MOF on MOF structure for boosting high efficient overall water splitting

The electronic modulation characteristics of efficient metal phosphide electrocatalysts can be utilized to tune the performance of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).However,improving the overall water splitting performance remains a challenging task.By building metal organic framework(MOF)on MOF heterostructures,an efficient strategy for controlling the electrical structure of MOFs was presented in this study.ZIF-67 was in-situ synthesized on MIL-88(Fe)using a two-step self-assembly method,followed by low-temperature phosphorization to ultimately synthesize FeP-CoP_(3)bimetallic phosphides.By combining atomic orbital theory and theoretical calculations(density functional theory),the results reveal the successful modulation of electronic orbitals in FeP-CoP_(3)bimetallic phosphides,which are synthesized from MOF on MOF structure.The synergistic impact of the metal center Co species and the phase conjugation of both kinds of MOFs are responsible for this regulatory phenomenon.Therefore,the catalyst demonstrates excellent properties,demonstrating HER 81 mV(η10)in a 1.0 mol L^(−1)KOH solution and OER 239 mV(η50)low overpotentials.The FeP-CoP_(3)linked dual electrode alkaline batteries,which are bifunctional electrocatalysts,have a good electrocatalytic ability and may last for 50 h.They require just 1.49 V(η50)for total water breakdown.Through this technique,the electrical structure of electrocatalysts may be altered to increase catalytic activity.

Exploration of Earth-Abundant Transition Metals(Fe,Co,Ni)Doped on W_(18)O_(49)System as Electrocatalysts for Urea Productiont

The conversion of inert N_(2)and CO_(2)into urea by electrocatalytic technology not only reduces the cost of urea synthesis in future,but also alleviatesthe environmental pollution problem caused by carbon emission in traditional industrial production.However,facing downside factors such as strong competitive reactions and unclear reaction mechanism,the design of high-performance urea catalysts is imminent.This study demonstrates that W_(18)O_(49)system doped heteronuclear metals(TM=Fe,Co,Ni)can effectively solve the problem of competitive adsorption between N_(2)and CO_(2)and realize the co-adsorption of N_(2)and CO_(2)at diverse sites.Their theoretical limiting voltages for urea production on TM-W_(18)O_(49)(TM=Fe,Co,Ni)systems are-0.46 V,-0.42 V and-0.52 V,respectively.The results are all lower than that of the contrastive voltage in pristine W_(18)O_(49)system(-0.91 V),further indicating the rationality and necessity of single-atom doped strategy for the co-reduction of two molecules.Specially,Co-W_(18)O_(49)can theoretically inhibit the side reactions of NRR,CO_(2)RR,and HER,which deserve future experimental exploration in future.The study suggests that doping heteronuclear metal into transition metal oxides is a feasible scheme to solve competitive adsorption and improve catalytic performance.

Molecular engineering binuclear copper catalysts for selective CO_(2) reduction to C_(2) products

Molecular copper catalysts serve as exemplary models for correlating the structure-reaction-mechanism relationship in the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction(eCO_(2)R),owing to their adaptable environments surrounding the copper metal centres.This investigation,employing density functional theory calculations,focuses on a novel family of binuclear Cu molecular catalysts.The modulation of their coordination configuration through the introduction of organic groups aims to assess their efficacy in converting CO_(2) to C_(2)products.Our findings highlight the crucial role of chemical valence state in shaping the characteristics of binuclear Cu catalysts,consequently influencing the eCO_(2)R behaviour,Notably,the Cu(Ⅱ)Cu(Ⅱ)macrocycle catalyst exhibits enhanced suppression of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),facilitating proton trans fer and the eCO_(2)R process.Fu rthermore,we explo re the impact of diverse electro n-withdrawing and electron-donating groups coordinated to the macrocycle(R=-F,-H,and-OCH_3)on the electron distribution in the molecular catalysts.Strategic placement of-OCH_3 groups in the macrocycles leads to a favourable oxidation state of the Cu centres and subsequent C-C coupling to form C_(2) products.This research provides fundamental insights into the design and optimization of binuclear Cu molecular catalysts for the electrochemical conversion of CO_(2) to value-added C_(2) products.

Investigation on Non-covalent Complexes of Cyclodextrins with Li＋ in Gas Phase by Mass Spectrometry

To investigate the non-covalent interaction between cyclodextrins （CD） and lithium ion, a stoichiometry of α-CD, β-CD, heptakis（2,6-di-O-methyl）-β-CD （DM-β-CD）, or heptakis（2,3,6-tri-O-methyl）-β-CD （TM-β-CD） was mixed with lithium salt, respectively, and then incubated at room temperature for 10 min to reach the equilibrium. In posi- tive mode, the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry （ESI-MS） results demonstrated that lithium ion can conjugate to α-, β-, DM-β- or TM-β-CD and form 1：1 stoichiometric non-covalent complexes. The binding of the complexes was further confirmed by collision- induced dissociation. The dissociation constants Kdl of four complexes （Li＋α-CD, Li＋β- CD, Li＋DM-β-CD, and Li＋TM-β-CD） were determined by mass spectrometric titration. The results showed Kdl were 18.7, 26.7, 33.6, 30.5 μmol/L for the complexes of Li＋ with α-CD, β-CD, DM-β-CD, and TM-β-CD, respectively. Kdl for the Li＋ complexes of/3-CD is smaller than that of DM-β-CD due to its steric effect of the partial substituted -CH3. The Kdl for the Li＋ complexes of DM-β-CD is nearly in agreement with that of TM-β-CD, indicating Li＋ is more likely to locate in the small rim of DM-β-CD＇s hydrophobic cavity. The DFT results showed through electrostatic interaction, one Li＋ can strongly conjugate to four neighboring oxygen atoms. For the （α-CD＋Li）＋ complex, one Li＋ may also situate the small rim of α-CD＇s hydrophobic cavity to form a non-specific host-guest complex.

Photocatalytic performance of TiO_2 nanocrystals with/without oxygen defects

To investigate the role of oxygen defects on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2,the TiO2 nanocrystals with/without oxygen defects are successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal and sol‐gel methods,respectively.The as‐prepared TiO2 nanocrystals with defects are light blue and the absorption edge of light is towards the visible light region(~420 nm).Raman and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)measurements all confirm that the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the TiO2 synthesized by the sol‐gel method is less than that synthesized through the hydrothermal route.The introduction of oxygen defects contributes to a new state in the band gap that narrows the band gap,which is the reason for the extension of light absorption into the visible light region.The photocurrent results confirm that this band‐gap narrowing enhances the photocurrent response under simulated solar light irradiation.The TiO2 with oxygen defects shows a higher photocatalytic activity for decomposition of a methylene blue solution compared with that of the perfect TiO2 sample.The photocatalytic mechanism is discussed based on the density functional theory calculations and photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements.

Effect of vacancy defects on electronic properties and activation of sphalerite(110) surface by first-principles

The electronic properties of sphalerite(110) surface with Zn-vacancy and S-vacancy were calculated by using density-functional theory,and the effects of vacancy defect on the copper activation of sphalerite were investigated.The calculated results indicate that surface state occurs in the band gap of Zn-vacancy sphalerite,which is from the contribution of S 3p orbital at the first layer of the surface.The presence of S-vacancy results in surface state appearing near the Fermi level and the bottom of conductor band,which are composed of S 3p and Zn 4s orbital,respectively.The surface structure of Zn-vacancy sphalerite is more stable than S-vacancy surface due to the occupation of Zn-vacancy by Cu atoms;hence,the substitution reaction of Cu for Zn vacancy is easier than the substitution of Cu for Zn atoms with S-vacancy surface.

Catalytic roles of the acid sites in different pore channels of H‐ZSM‐5 zeolite for methanol‐to‐olefins conversion

H‐ZSM‐5 zeolite is a typical catalyst for methanol‐to‐olefins(MTO)conversion.Although the performance of zeolite catalysts for MTO conversion is related to the actual location of acid sites in the zeolite framework,the catalytic roles of the acid sites in different pore channels of the H‐ZSM‐5 zeolite are not well understood.In this study,the MTO reaction network,involving the aromatic cycle,alkene cycle,and aromatization process,and also the diffusion behavior of methanol feedstock and olefin and aromatic products at different acid sites in the straight channel,sinusoidal channel,and intersection cavity of H‐ZSM‐5 zeolite was comparatively investigated using density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamic simulations.The results indicated that the aromatic cycle and aromatization process occurred preferentially at the acid sites in the intersection cavities with a much lower energy barrier than that at the acid sites in the straight and sinusoidal channels.In contrast,the formation of polymethylbenzenes was significantly suppressed at the acid sites in the sinusoidal and straight channels,whereas the alkene cycle can occur at all three types of acid sites with similar energy barriers and probabilities.Consequently,the catalytic performance of H‐ZSM‐5 zeolite for MTO conversion,including activity and product selectivity,can be regulated properly through the purposive alteration of the acid site distribution,viz.,the location of Al in the zeolite framework.This study helps to elucidate the relation between the catalytic performance of different acid sites in the H‐ZSM‐5 zeolite framework for MTO conversion,which should greatly benefit the design of efficient catalyst for methanol conversion.