Dehydrogenation mechanisms and thermodynamics of MNH2BH3 (M=Li, Na) metal amidoboranes as predicted from first principles.

Electronic structure calculations have been used to determine and compare the thermodynamics of H(2) release from ammonia borane (NH(3)BH(3)), lithium amidoborane (LiNH(2)BH(3)), and sodium amidoborane (NaNH(2)BH(3)). Using two types of exchange correlation functional we show that in the gas-phase the metal amidoboranes have much higher energies of complexation than ammonia borane, meaning that for the former compounds the B-N bond does not break upon dehydrogenation. Thermodynamically however, both the binding energy for H(2) release and the activation energy for dehydrogenation are much lower for NH(3)BH(3) than for the metal amidoboranes, in contrast to experimental results. We reconcile this by also investigating the effects of dimer complexation (2×NH(3)BH(3), 2×LiNH(2)BH(3)) on the dehydrogenation properties. As previously described in the literature the minimum energy pathway for H(2) release from the 2×NH(3)BH(3) complex involves the formation of a diammoniate of diborane complex ([BH(4)](-)[NH(3)BH(2)NH(3)](+)). A new mechanism is found for dehydrogenation from the 2×LiNH(2)BH(3) dimer that involves the formation of an analogous dibroane complex ([BH(4)](-)[LiNH(2)BH(2)LiNH(2)](+)), intriguingly it is lower in energy than the original dimer (by 0.13 eV at ambient temperatures). Additionally, this pathway allows almost thermoneutral release of H(2) from the lithium amidoboranes at room temperature, and has an activation barrier that is lower in energy than for ammonia borane, in contrast to other theoretical research. The transition state for single and dimer lithium amidoborane demonstrates that the light metal atom plays a significant role in acting as a carrier for hydrogen transport during the dehydrogenation process via the formation of a Li-H complex. We posit that it is this mechanism which is responsible, in condensed molecular systems, for the improved dehydrogenation thermodynamics of metal amidoboranes.

Advances in computational studies of energy materials.

We review recent developments and applications of computational modelling techniques in the field of materials for energy technologies including hydrogen production and storage, energy storage and conversion, and light absorption and emission. In addition, we present new work on an Sn2TiO4 photocatalyst containing an Sn(II) lone pair, new interatomic potential models for SrTiO3 and GaN, an exploration of defects in the kesterite/stannite-structured solar cell absorber Cu2ZnSnS4, and report details of the incorporation of hydrogen into Ag2O and Cu2O. Special attention is paid to the modelling of nanostructured systems, including ceria (CeO2, mixed Ce(x)O(y) and Ce2O3) and group 13 sesquioxides. We consider applications based on both interatomic potential and electronic structure methodologies; and we illustrate the increasingly quantitative and predictive nature of modelling in this field.

Construction of nano- and microporous frameworks from octahedral bubble clusters.

We report a general method of constructing microporous, cubic frameworks from eight different high symmetry small clusters of ZnO, which were previously predicted via the application of an evolutionary algorithm. Using interatomic potentials, the lattice energies of the structures formed are computed. We analyse the relative stabilities within particular subsets of these periodic structures, and show that frameworks constructed from edge-sharing units of clusters with the T(h) point group are predicted to be much more stable than those with T(d). Our results have general implications for the nanostructures of systems whose bulk structures are based on tetrahedral coordination.

Bubbles and microporous frameworks of silicon carbide.

We report the results of density functional theory calculations on nanostructures of SiC, including single clusters, cluster dimers, and nanoporous cluster frameworks. Our results show that at the nanoscale, there is significant charge transfer of 2.5|e| from Si to C atoms, which results in the adoption of the same structural motifs for nanoparticles of SiC that occur for ZnO, with clusters of T(h), T(d), and O symmetry. Experimental support for our models is provided by comparison of optical gaps and ionisation potentials. With the exception of the (SiC)(28) cluster, the T(h) or T(d) nanoparticles can bind into kinetically stable agglomerates on either tetragonal or hexagonal faces, with tetragonal binding energetically preferred for larger nanoclusters, which enables the construction of cubic nanoporous frameworks of varying porosities. Frameworks composed of larger clusters are softer; with bulk moduli of ca. 20 GPa while frameworks assembled from smaller clusters tend to be harder. The electronic structure of all frameworks can be analysed in terms of the adopted short-range order of the clusters, we predict that frameworks containing topological features similar to the rock-salt phase are metallic in nature.

Density functional theory simulations of complex hydride and carbon-based hydrogen storage materials.

This critical review covers the mechanisms underlying density functional theory (DFT) simulations and their relevance in evaluating, developing and discovering new materials. It is intended to be of interest for both experimentalists and theorists in the expanding field of hydrogen storage. We focus on the most studied classes of materials, metal-hydride, -amide, and -borohydride mixtures, and bare and transition metal-doped carbon systems and the utility of DFT simulations for the pre-screening of thermally destabilised reaction paths (170 references).

Structure, optical properties and defects in nitride (III-V) nanoscale cage clusters.

Density Functional Theory calculations are reported on cage structured BN, AlN, GaN and InN sub- and low nanosize stoichiometric clusters, including two octahedral families of T(d) and T(h) symmetry. The structures and energetics are determined, and we observe that BN clusters in particular show high stability with respect to the bulk phase. The cluster formation energy is demonstrated to include a constant term that we attribute to the curvature energy and the formation of six tetragonal defects. The (BN)(60) onion double-bubble structure was found to be particularly unstable. In contrast, similar or greater stability was found for double and single shell cages for the other nitrides. The optical absorption spectra have been first characterised by the one-electron Kohn-Sham orbital energies for all compounds, after which we concentrated on BN where we employed a recently developed Time Dependent Density Functional Theory approach. The one-electron band gaps do not show a strong and consistent size dependency, in disagreement with the predictions of quantum confinement theory. The density of excited bound states and absorption spectrum have been calculated for four smallest BN clusters within the first ionisation potential cut-off energy. The relative stability of different BN clusters has been further explored by studying principal point defects and their complexes including topological B-N bond rotational defects, vacancies, antisites and interstititials. The latter have the lowest energy of formation.