Self consistent tight binding model for dissociable water.

We report results of development of a self consistent tight binding model for water. The model explicitly describes the electrons of the liquid self consistently, allows dissociation of the water and permits fast direct dynamics molecular dynamics calculations of the fluid properties. It is parameterized by fitting to first principles calculations on water monomers, dimers, and trimers. We report calculated radial distribution functions of the bulk liquid, a phase diagram and structure of solvated protons within the model as well as ac conductivity of a system of 96 water molecules of which one is dissociated. Structural properties and the phase diagram are in good agreement with experiment and first principles calculations. The estimated DC conductivity of a computational sample containing a dissociated water molecule was an order of magnitude larger than that reported from experiment though the calculated ratio of proton to hydroxyl contributions to the conductivity is very close to the experimental value. The conductivity results suggest a Grotthuss-like mechanism for the proton component of the conductivity.

Comparative density functional study of methanol decomposition on Cu4 and Co4 clusters.

A density functional theory study of the decomposition of methanol on Cu(4) and Co(4) clusters is presented. The reaction intermediates and activation barriers have been determined for reaction steps to form H(2) and CO. For both clusters, methanol decomposition initiated by C-H and O-H bond breaking was investigated. In the case of a Cu(4) cluster, methanol dehydrogenation through hydroxymethyl (CH(2)OH), hydroxymethylene (CHOH), formyl (CHO), and carbon monoxide (CO) is found to be slightly more favorable. For a Co(4) cluster, the dehydrogenation pathway through methoxy (CH(3)O) and formaldehyde (CH(2)O) is slightly more favorable. Each of these pathways results in formation of CO and H(2). The Co cluster pathway is very favorable thermodynamically and kinetically for dehydrogenation. However, since CO binds strongly, it is likely to poison methanol decomposition to H(2) and CO at low temperatures. In contrast, for the Cu cluster, CO poisoning is not likely to be a problem since it does not bind strongly, but the dehydrogenation steps are not energetically favorable. Pathways involving C-O bond cleavage are even less energetically favorable. The results are compared to our previous study of methanol decomposition on Pd(4) and Pd(8) clusters. Finally, all reaction energy changes and transition state energies, including those for the Pd clusters, are related in a linear, Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi plot.

Increased silver activity for direct propylene epoxidation via subnanometer size effects.

Production of the industrial chemical propylene oxide is energy-intensive and environmentally unfriendly. Catalysts based on bulk silver surfaces with direct propylene epoxidation by molecular oxygen have not resolved these problems because of substantial formation of carbon dioxide. We found that unpromoted, size-selected Ag3 clusters and approximately 3.5-nanometer Ag nanoparticles on alumina supports can catalyze this reaction with only a negligible amount of carbon dioxide formation and with high activity at low temperatures. Density functional calculations show that, relative to extended silver surfaces, oxidized silver trimers are more active and selective for epoxidation because of the open-shell nature of their electronic structure. The results suggest that new architectures based on ultrasmall silver particles may provide highly efficient catalysts for propylene epoxidation.

Carbon ad-dimer defects in carbon nanotubes.

The adsorption of carbon dimers on carbon nanotubes leads to a rich spectrum of structures and electronic structure modifications. Barriers for the formation of carbon dimer induced defects are calculated and found to be considerably lower than those for the Stone-Wales defect. The electronic states introduced by the ad-dimers depend on defect structure and tube type and size. Multiple carbon ad-dimers provide a route to structural engineering of patterned tubes that may be of interest for nanoelectronics.

Quantum chemical study of mechanisms for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane on vanadium oxide.

We have carried out a hybrid density functional study of mechanisms for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane on the (010) surface of V2O5. The surface was modeled using both vanadium oxide clusters and a periodic slab. We have investigated a Mars-van Krevelen mechanism that involves stepwise adsorption of the propane at an oxygen site followed by desorption of a water molecule and propene, and subsequent adsorption of an oxygen molecule to complete the catalytic cycle. The potential energy surface is found to have large barriers, which are lowered somewhat when the possibility of a triplet state is considered. The barriers for propane adsorption and propene elimination are 45-60 kcal/mol. The highest energy on the potential energy surface at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory is about 80 kcal/mol above the energy of the reactants and corresponds to formation of an oxygen vacancy after water elimination. Subsequent addition of an oxygen molecule to fill the vacancy is predicted to be energetically downhill. The reactions of propane at a bridging oxygen site and at a vanadyl site have similar energetics. The key results of the cluster calculations are confirmed by periodic calculations. Factors that may lower the barriers on the potential energy surface, including the interaction of vanadium oxide clusters with a support material and a concerted reaction with O2, are discussed.

Equilibrium morphology of face-centered cubic gold nanoparticles >3 nm and the shape changes induced by temperature.

Many of the unique properties of metallic nanoparticles are determined not only by their finite size but also by their shape, defined by the crystallographic orientation of the surface facets. These surfaces (and therefore the nanoparticles themselves) may differ in a number of ways, including surface atom densities, electronic structure, bonding, chemical reactivities, and thermodynamic properties. In the case of gold, it is known that the melting temperature of nanoparticles strongly depends on the crystal size and that the shape may alter considerably (and yet somewhat unpredictably) during annealing. In this work we use first principle calculations and a thermodynamic model to investigate the morphology of gold nanoparticles in the range 3-100 nm. The results predict that the equilibrium shape of gold nanoparticles is a modified truncated octahedron and that the (size-dependent) melting of such particles is preceded by a significant change in the nanoparticle's morphology.

Prediction of TiO2 nanoparticle phase and shape transitions controlled by surface chemistry.

The effects of surface chemistry on the morphology and phase stability of titanium dioxide nanoparticles have been investigated using a thermodynamic model based on surface free energies and surface tensions obtained from first principles calculations. It has been found that surfaces representing acidic and alkaline conditions have a significant influence on both the shape of the nanocrystals and the anatase-to-rutile transition size. The latter introduces the possibility of inducing phase transitions by changing the surface chemistry.

Modeling the Morphology and Phase Stability of TiO2 Nanocrystals in Water.

The potential of titanium dioxide nanoparticles for advanced photochemical applications has prompted a number of studies to analyze the size, phase, and morphology dependent properties. Previously we have used a thermodynamic model of nanoparticles as a function of size and shape to predict the phase stability of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, with particular attention given to the crossover of stability between the anatase and rutile phases. This work has now been extended to titanium dioxide nanoparticles in water, to examine the effects of various adsorption configurations on the equilibrium shape and the phase transition. Density functional calculations have been used to accurately determine surface energies and surface tension of low index hydrated stoichiometric surfaces of anatase and rutile, which are presented along with a brief outline of the surface structure. We have shown that morphology of TiO2 nanocrystals is affected by the presence of water, resulting in variations in the size of the (001) and (001̄) truncation facets in anatase, and a reduction in the aspect ratio of rutile nanocrystals. Our results also highlight that the consideration of hydrated nanocrystal surfaces is necessary to accurately predict the correct size dependence of the anatase to rutile phase transition.