Search results for "General Energy"

2017

The adsorption of molecular acceptors is a viable method for tuning the work function of metal electrodes. This, in turn, enables adjusting charge injection barriers between the electrode and organic semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate the potential of pyrene-tetraone (PyT) and its derivatives dibromopyrene-tetraone (Br-PyT) and dinitropyrene-tetraone (NO2-PyT) for modifying the electronic properties of Au(111) and Ag(111) surfaces. The systems are investigated by complementary theoretical and experimental approaches, including photoelectron spectroscopy, the X-ray standing wave technique, and density functional theory simulations. For some of the investigated interfaces the trends expecte…

The Triplet Excimer of Naphthalene: A Model System for Triplet−Triplet Interactions and Its Spectral Properties

2011

Basic concepts of triplet excimer formation and triplet−triplet interactions between molecules with conjugated π-systems are investigated by means of ab initio quantum chemical calculations, employing the second-order coupled-cluster method CC2 and the second-order propagator method ADC(2). The naphthalene dimer turns out to be a very fruitful model system for which weak and strong electronic coupling can be identified depending on the mutual arrangement of the monomer moieties. From geometry optimizations in the excited state, we determine binding energies, including solvent effects, and transient absorption spectra. The most stable T1 conformation turns out to be a face-to-face arrangemen…

Eu2+ Stabilization in YAG Structure: Optical and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Study

2016

A set of Eu-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG) phosphors in the powder form was successfully synthesized by multiple-step solid-state reaction under the reducing Ar:5%H2 atmosphere. Their physical properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Special attention was given to well-grounded confirmation of Eu2+ occurrence in the YAG structure. X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of a major YAG phase in all samples. The influence of Eu concentration, form of doping (EuS, EuF2, or Eu2O3) and number/form of annealing steps was studied. Corresponding characteristics were measured and evaluated in a broad temper…

Role of the central gold atom in ligand-protected biicosahedral Au 24 and Au25 clusters

2013

The crystal structures of the ligand-protected clusters [Au24(PPh3)10(SC2H4Ph)5Cl2]+ and [Au25(PPh3)10(SC2H4Ph)5Cl2]2+ have been elucidated recently, and they comprise the same biicosahedral structural motif for the Au core. The only difference is the central Au atom joining two icosahedra which is absent in the Au24 cluster. On the basis of density functional simulations, we have evaluated the structural, electronic, optical, and vibrational properties of the clusters in question with a full presentation for the thiolate and phosphine side groups. Our spherical harmonics analysis of the electronic structure shows that the chemical stability of both clusters can be understood based on an 8 …

Adsorption of 3d Transition Elements on a TiO2(110) Surface.

2008

International audience; A first-principles study on the adsorption of 3d transition metal atoms on a stoichiometric TiO2(110) surface is reported. For all 3d elements except Cu, the most stable on-surface adsorption site is a site where the adatom binds to two twofold and one threefold surface oxygen atoms. For Ti, V, and Cr, however, a subsurface site, where the adatom substitutes a sixfold Ti atom, is more stable. The adatoms are oxidized in all cases. The charge transfer to the substrate is larger for the substitutional site than for the on-surface adsorption sites and decreases with atomic number along the 3d series. The relative stabilities of the adsorption sites are discussed in term…

Intrinsic Metal Size Effect on Adsorption of Organic Molecules on Platinum

2008

Di-σ adsorbed ethene, bridge(30) adsorbed benzene (with four di-σ-type and two π-type interactions), and η1 and η2 adsorbed acetone on nanosized platinum clusters consisting of 19 to 38 Pt atoms were studied theoretically by density functional theory (DFT) calculations with general gradient approximation (GGA) utilizing plane wave and local basis sets. The cluster results were compared to plane wave calculations employed with periodic boundary conditions. It was found that the geometries obtained with different methods are very similar but the adsorption energy depends prominently on the cluster size. Adsorption was strongest on the 22- and 26-atom clusters and weakest on the 35- and 38-ato…

Density Functional Theory Study on Propane and Propene Adsorption on Pt(111) and PtSn Alloy Surfaces

2011

Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the adsorption of propane, propene, and C and H atoms on Pt and PtSn surfaces employing the revised Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (RPBE) and vdW-DF functionals. Propane adsorption was found to be mediated by van der Waals interactions without significant site preference on any of the studied surfaces. The adsorption characteristics of propene are different: On the Pt(111) and Pt3Sn(111) surfaces, propene adsorption is covalent, and the molecule prefers a di-σ site to a π site. Alloying Pt(111) with Sn leads to weaker adsorption owing to geometric and relaxation effects, whereas electronic effects are found to be small. On the PtS…

Solvent-Independent Electrode Potentials of Solids Undergoing Insertion Electrochemical Reactions: Part I. Theory

2012

A formally solvent-independent redox system can be theoretically defined using the Lovric and Scholz modeling of the voltammetry of microparticles for ion-insertion solids. The proposed theory is based on the extra-thermodynamic assumptions that no net charge accumulates at the solid|electrolyte interface and the assumption that the structure of the solid and the ion binding remain unaffected by the solvent. Under voltammetric conditions, the corresponding redox potential can be estimated from voltammetric and chronoamperometric data assuming electrochemical reversibility and diffusive charge transport in the solution and solid phases, also taking into account ion partition (electrolyte/sol…

Electrosynthesis of Poly(alanine)-Like Peptides in Concentrated Alanine Based Electrolytes, Characterization Coupled to DFT Study and Application to …

2014

The anodic oxidation of concentrated l-alanine on smooth electrodes such as platinum and glassy carbon electrodes was studied. Contrary to the previous studies performed up to now with diluted l-alanine, the electrochemical process generated here results in a completely different situation. The oxidation on smooth platinum was carried out by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) coupled to cyclic voltammetry technique. The effects of concentration, scan rate, and pH (zwitterion at pH = 6 and alkaline media at pH = 13) on potential values were examined. Glassy carbon and smooth gold electrodes showed the same behavior as on smooth platinum electrode. Spectroscopic analysis such …

Understanding Digestive Ripening of Ligand-Stabilized, Charged Metal Nanoparticles

2017

Most syntheses of thiolate-protected metal nanoparticles (NPs) include a thermochemical step in which the as-prepared, polydisperse NPs are transformed to a narrower size distribution in a poorly understood process known as digestive ripening (DR). Previous theoretical approaches considered either surface and electrostatic contributions or surface and ligand-binding contributions. We show that the three contributions are needed to obtain theoretical predictions in agreement with experimental observations. Although statistical thermodynamics does not clarify mechanistic details, it certainly provides valuable insights on the DR process. Remarkably, a relatively simple theory with no fitting …