Translational energy losses of LiF cluster ions

Translation energy loss (TEL) values have been measured in the collision-induced fragmentation of Li₆F₅⁺ cluster ions. TEL values varied between 1 and 8 eV in single collisions and showed a strong dependence on the centre-of-mass (com) collision energy. At large com collision energies (>800 eV) the TEL was small (?1.5 eV) and is explained by internal excitation. At lower com collision energies, TEL values were larger (up to 8 eV), and these are explained in terms of kinetic energy uptake by the target gas. TEL values observed using LiF and CsI clusters are compared.     

Competition between reactivity and relaxation in free electron attachment to molecules

The reactivity of the C₆F₅X (X=F, Cl, Br, I) molecules following low energy (0–15 eV) electron attachment is studied in the gas phase under single collision conditions, free molecular clusters and condensed molecules by means of crossed beams and surface experiments. All four molecules exhibit a very prominent resonance for low energy electron attachment (<1 eV, attachment cross section >10⁻¹⁴ cm²). Under collision free conditions thermal electron capture generates long lived molecular parent anions C₆F₅X^−*. Along the line Cl, Br, I dissociation into X⁻+C₆F₅ and X+C₆F₅-increasingly competes until for X=1 only chemical fragmentation is observed on the mass spectrometric time scale. In free molecular clusters chemical fragmentation is quantitatively quenched at low energies in favour of associative attachment yielding undissociated, relaxed ions (C₆F₅X)⁻ _n,n≥1. A further dissociative resonance at 6.5 eV in C₆F₅Cl is considerably enhanched in clusters. If these molecules are finally condensed on a solid surface, one observes a prominent Cl⁻ desorption resonance at 6.5 eV. While the quantitative quenching of the chemical reactivity at low energies is due to the additional possibilities of energy dissipation under aggregation, the enhanched reactivity at 6.5 eV is interpreted by the conversion of a core excited open channel resonance in single molecules into a closed channel (Feshbach) resonance when it is coupled to environmental molecules.     

Adsorbate binding energies for ammonia on cobalt and nickel clusters

Equilibrium reactions of ammonia with cobalt and nickel clusters are analyzed to determine cluster-adsorbate binding energies. The temperature dependence of reaction equilibrium constantsK _eq are measured and ?ΔH ⁰ values obtained from plots of lnK _eq vs 1/T. We find that binding energies generally decrease with increasing ammonia coverage, and that for a given number of NH₃ molecules binding energies increase with increasing cluster size. The pattern of binding energies is found to be consistent with proposed geometrical structures for Co₁₉ and for clusters in the 55-atom size range. Cluster-ammonia binding energies are generally somewhat higher than for bulk metal surfaces, an expected result considering the character of the cluster surface and the nature of the NH₃-metal interaction.     

Intra-cluster proton transfer in anilide-(HF)n (n = 1-4): Can the size of HF cluster influence the N?H-F → N-H?F switching

The impact of the HF cluster size on the proton-transfer switch between N⁻?H-F and N-H?F⁻ in the anilide-(HF)_n = 1-4 complexes was investigated by means of the quantum chemical methods. The change in the H-bond strength due to variation of the HF cluster size was well monitored by change in the binding energy (BE), structural parameter, electron density topology, natural charge and charge transfer. For n = 1, our results at the MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) level show that the minimum-energy structure corresponds to the H-bonded complex PhNH⁻?HF with excess negative charge localized on the N atom of the anilide anion. For n > 1, minimum energy structures correspond to PhNH₂?F⁻(HF)_1-3 ones, namely a solvated F⁻ ion. This is a case in which the relative change in the acidity of the HF is observed in the ground state as the size of cluster increases. The nature of the weak interactions in the complexes was characterized by means of atoms in molecules (AIM) and the natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses.     

Comparative study of ionic interactions of 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 electrolytes of nitrates salts solutions with water analysed with physicochemical data

Densities (ρ), viscosities (η) and surface tension (γ) as function of the molarity of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 for LiNO₃, NaNO₃, KNO₃, Sr(NO₃)₂, Ba(NO₃)₂ and Pb(NO₃)₂ electrolytes are reported at 32°C. Data were regressed for limiting values for solute–solvent interactions and effects of shell numbers and electronic configurations. A confidence variance of 95.5% at Gaussian distribution was noted. Densities explained ionic forces and sizes, and viscosities defined frictional forces while the surface tension focused surface energies of hydrated ions. Slopes of densities, viscosities and surface tensions explained the concentration effects on ionic interactions. Limiting densities from Li⁺ to Ba²⁺ increased with increase in sizes. Pb²⁺ smaller in size than the Ba²⁺ had lower limiting densities. The ρ ⁰ are Ba^2+?>?Sr^2+?>?Pb^2+?>?K^+?>?Na^+?>?Li⁺ with 3.24, 2.98, 4.53, 2.109, 2.257 and 2.38?×?10^3?kg?m^?3 densities of nitrate salts, respectively, in the solid state.     

Electron attachment to oxygen and oxygen/ozone clusters studied in a high-resolution crossed beams experiment

Highly monochromatized electrons (with 30 meV FWHM) are used in a crossed beams experiment to investigate electron attachment to oxygen clusters (O₂)_n at electron energies from approximately zero eV up to 2 eV. At energies close to zero the attachment cross section for the reaction (O₂)_n +e → O ₂ ^? varies inversely with the electron energy, indicative of s-wave electron capture to (O₂)_n. Peaks in the attachment cross section present at higher energies can be ascribed to vibrational levels of the oxygen anion. The vibrational spacings observed can be quantitatively accounted for. In addition electron attachment to mixed oxygen/ozone clusters has been studied in the energy range up to 4 eV. Despite the initially large excess of oxygen molecules in the neutral clusters the dominant attachment products are undissociated cluster ions (O₃) _m ^? including the O ₃ ^? monomer while oxygen cluster ions (O₂) _n ^? appear with comparatively low intensity.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy of silicon and germanium-fluorine binary cluster anions (SinF m − , GenF m − )

Electronic properties of silicon-fluorine and germanium-fluorine cluster anions (Si_nF _m ^? n = 1–9, m = 1–3, Ge_nF _m ^? ; n =1–9, m = 1–3) were investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy using a magnetic-bottle type electron spectrometer. The binary cluster anions were generated by a laser vaporization of a silicon/germanium rod in an He carrier gas mixed with a small amount of SiF₄ or F₂ gas. Comparison between photoelectron spectra of Si_nF^?/Ge_nF^? and Sin /Gen (n = 4–9) gives the insight that the doped F atom can remove one electron from the corresponding Sin _n ^? /Ge _n ^? cluster without any serious rearrangement of Sin/Gen framework, because only the first peak of Si _n ^? /Ge _n ^? , corresponding singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO), disappears and other successive spectral features are unchanged with the F atom doping     

Molecular dynamics study of phase transition and nucleation in supercooled clusters of potassium iodide

In a series of molecular dynamics (MD) runs on (KI)₁₀₈ clusters, the Born–Mayer–Huggins potential function is employed to study structural, energetic, and kinetic aspects of phase change and the homogeneous nucleation of KI clusters. Melting and freezing are reproducible when clusters are heated and cooled. The melted clusters are not spherical in shape no matter the starting cluster is cubic or spherical. Quenching a melted (KI)₁₀₈ cluster from 960 K in a bath with temperature range 200–400 K for a time period of 80 ps both nucleation and crystallization are observed. Nucleation rates exceeding 10³⁶ critical nuclei m⁻³ s⁻¹ are determined at 200, 250, 300, 350, and 400 K. Results are interpreted in terms of the classical theory of nucleation of Turnbull and Fisher and of Buckle. Interfacial free energies of the liquid–solid phase derived from the nucleation rates are 7–10 mJ m⁻². This quantity is 0.19 of the heat of transition per unit area from solid to liquid, or about two-thirds of the corresponding ratio which Turnbull proposed for freezing transition. The temperature dependence of σ_sl(T) of (KI)₁₀₈ clusters can be expressed as σ_sl(T)∝T^0.34.     

Anion Binding Properties of N-Confused Porphyrins at the Peripheral Nitrogen

Ni(II), Pd(II), and Cu(II) complexes of N-confused porphyrin (NCP) exhibit anion binding properties through a hydrogen bonding interaction at the peripheral NH of confused pyrrole ring. The binding constants of the tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-NCP metal complexes (1-M, M= Ni, Pd, Cu) for various halide anions in CH₂C1₂ increase in the order of F^? > Cl^? > Br^? > I^?, respectively. Zwitterionic resonance form of the NCP complexes as well as interactions between halide anions and a pentafluorophenyl group are suggested to be important for efficient anion binding.     

Semi-empirical and ab initio quantum chemical characterisation of pyridine derivatives as HCl inhibitors of aluminium surface

Quantum chemical methods are becoming ever more prevalent for assessing surface interactions of different molecules using cluster models and semi-empirical, ab initio Hartree–Fock and density functional theory (DFT) studies considering the standard potential energy surfaces. Examination of the efficacy of some pyridine derivatives to counter aluminium corrosion in hydrochloric acid using ab initio and semi-empirical quantum chemical deductions and its comparison with the available experimental data forms the basis of this research. It is believed that the inhibition efficiency has lucid correlation with the total energy of inhibitor molecules and highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels calculated by DFT study methods and thus the adsorption energy for the pyridine on Al₁, Al₅, Al₁₄, Al₁₈ and Al₂₆ clusters are determined to assess the convergence of the results with respect to size of the cluster. Subsequently, Al₂₆ is used for the inhibitor/aluminium cluster interface investigations. Results highlight the reaction between pyridine molecules and appropriately active sites such as corners and steps or kinks and screw dislocations towards which pyridine molecules are attracted as is evident from a three times rise in adsorption energy from (−35) to (−107) kJ mol⁻¹. Therefore, inhibition mechanism is primarily associated with local properties. Interactions take place between the surface defect and the nitrogen group of the pyridine molecule however, the possibility of ion pair formation between protonated pyridine and chloride ion and its influence on the general adsorption of pyridine on aluminium is also examined. The interaction energies of pyridine and aluminium cluster with the natural bond orbital are also reported.     

Laser desorption/ionization fourier transform mass spectrometry of thin films deposited on silicon by plasma polymerization of acetylene

Thin films deposited on silicon substrate by three different methods of plasma polymerization of acetylene were analyzed by direct laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry. High-resolution mass spectra showed the presence of carbon clusters and hydrocarbon oligomers in different relative abundances. During unipolar and continuous discharge polymerization of acetylene-hydrogen gas mixtures, quadrupole mass spectra of the plasma constituents showed the presence of molecular species with m/z lower than 100 — mainly peaks of C₄H₂ and C₆H₂. Films produced had smooth surfaces and the corresponding LDI-FTMS spectra displayed only carbon cluster signals in the positive ion mode and both hydrocarbon and carbon cluster signals (with much higher relative abundance of carbon cluster signals) in the negative ion mode. Alternatively, during bipolar discharge with either higher acetylene gas flux (>40 cm³/min) or longer deposition times (>10 min), quadrupole mass spectra of the plasma constituents showed signals corresponding to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with m/z higher than 100. SEM pictures of the bipolar thin films demonstrated the presence of “flower” structures and nanoparticles developed on the surface. LDI-FTMS spectra of such thin films showed either total absence or lower relative abundance of carbon cluster signals, compared with hydrocarbon signals.     

Structures,binding energies,temperature effects,infrared spectroscopy of [Mg(NH3)n = 1−10]+ clusters from DFT and MP2 investigations

The possible isomers of [Mg(NH₃)_{n = 1 − 10}]⁺ clusters have been investigated using both M06-2X/6-31++G(d,p) and MP2/6-31++G(d,p) levels of theory. The isomeric distribution for each n size has been studied as a function of temperatures ranging from 25 to 400 K. To the best of our knowledge, for clusters size n > 6, this is the first theoretical study available in the literature. From the calculated values in the considered clusters and using a fitting procedure, we have evaluated the binding energies (−14.0 kcal/mol), clustering energies (−10.1 kcal/mol), clustering free energies (−2.8 kcal/mol), and clustering enthalpies (−10.3 kcal/mol). On the basis of our structural and infrared (IR) spectroscopy outcomes, we find that the first solvation shell can hold up to six ammonia molecules. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Wetting properties of aqueous solutions of hydrophobically modified inulin polymeric surfactant

The contact angles of aqueous solutions of a polymeric surfactant namely hydrophobically modified inulin (INUTEC®SP1) were measured on hydrophilic and hydrophobised quartz glass surfaces using the sessile drop technique. These measurements showed a large difference (>10°) between the advancing contact angle θ ₁ (that is measured immediately after placing the drop on the surface) and the constant contact angle θ ₂ (that is measured 30 minutes after placing the drop). In all the results only the contact angle θ ₂ was subsequently measured. θ versus INUTEC®SP1 concentration C _s curves were obtained at various NaCl concentrations both on hydrophilic and hydrophobic glass surfaces. On hydrophilic glass surface the θ versus C _s curves showed a maximum at a concentration range of 10^–6 to 2?×?10^–5 mol dm^-3 INUTEC®SP1. These curves were shifted to lower values as the NaCl concentration was increased. On such hydrophilic surface the INUTEC®SP1 molecule adsorbs with the polyfructose loops and tails oriented towards the surface leaving the alkyl chains in solution. Saturation adsorption with this orientation occurs at 2?×?10^–5 mol dm^-3 INUTEC®SP1. However, the contact angles remain quite small (<18°) indicating the presence of several hydrophilic glass patches uncovered by surfactant molecules. At C _s?>?2?×?10^–5 mol dm^-3 θ decreases with further increase of the INUTEC®SP1 concentration reaching 5° at the Critical Association Concentration (CAC) of the polymer. This indicates the formation of a bilayer of INUTEC®SP1 molecules with the alkyl chains hydrophobically attached to those of the first layer. On a hydrophobic glass surface, adsorption of INUTEC®SP1 occurs by multi-point attachment with the alkyl chains on the surface leaving the hydrophilic polyfructose loops and tails dangling in solution. This results in a gradual decrease of the contact angle with increase in INUTEC®SP1 concentration, reaching a plateau value (>85°) between 2?×?10^–5 and 2?×?10^–4 mol dm^-3. The large contact angles obtained on adsorption of the polymeric surfactant on a hydrophobic surface indicate the presence of several uncovered hydrophobic patches. These results give a reasonable picture of the adsorption and orientation of the INUTEC®SP1 molecules on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic solid surfaces.     

Negative ion mode electrospray ionization mass spectrometry study of ammonium-counter ion clusters

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was used to examine clusters of protonated amine salt solutions with chloride counter ions in the negative ion mode. These ions have the general formula [(RNH₃)_xCl_x+1]⁻. Primary amines generate a wide cluster distribution with clusters up to 14 mer for methylamine hydrochloride clusters. Secondary and quaternary amines only generate the monomer ion under identical conditions. Collision induced dissociation (CID) of the cluster ions generates cluster ions of lower m/z with the next lower cluster being the most abundant. The product ions from MeNH₃Cl₂⁻, Me₂NH₂Cl₂⁻ and (MeNH₃)₂Cl₃⁻ have low threshold appearance energies of 1. 24 to 2. 22 eV center-of-mass frame. Secondary amine monomer ions have lower threshold CID energies than primary amine monomer ions. The amine threshold CID energy decreases as the carbon chain length increases. As an electrospray solvent, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) promotes the formation of counter ions and clustering.     

Can anion interaction accelerate transformation of cytosine tautomers? Detailed view form QTAIM analysis

The relative stabilities and noncovalent interactions of the six low-lying energy tautomers of cytosine nucleobase with some biological anions (such as F^?, Cl^?, and CN^?) have been investigated in gas phase by density functional theory (DFT) method in conjunction with 6-311++G (d,p) atomic basis set. Furthermore, to systematically investigate all possible tautomerisms from cytosine induced by proton transfer, we describe a study of structural tautomer interconversion in the gas phase and in a continuum solvent using DFT calculation. We carried out geometrical optimizations with the integral equation formalism of polarizable continuum (IEF-PCM) model to account for the solvent effect, and the results were compared with those in the gas phase. The result of calculation revealed that anions bind mostly in a bidentate manner via hydrogen bond, and stabilization energies of these complexes are larger than those in the case when anions bind in a monodentate manner. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), natural bonding orbital (NBO) and energy decomposition analysis (EDA) have also been applied to understand the nature of hydrogen bond interactions in these complexes. NBO analysis reveals that the interaction patterns between the anions and the tautomers are ??-type interaction between lone pairs and $ \sigma_{{_{{{\text{N}}--{\text{H}}}} }}^{*} $ , $ \sigma_{{_{{{\text{O}}--{\text{H}}}} }}^{*} $ and $ \sigma_{{_{{{\text{H}}--{\text{F}}}} }}^{*} $ antibonding orbitals. Also, according to these theories, the interactions are found to be partially electrostatic and partially covalent. EDA results identify that these bonds have less than 35% covalent character and more than 65% electrostatic, and the covalent character increases in different anions in the order F^??>?CN^??>?Cl^?. On the other hand, orbital interaction energies of complexes of F^? anion are more than those of Cl^? and CN^? complexes. The lower orbital interaction energies in complexes of Cl^? and CN^?anions imply less charge transfer and stronger ionic bond character. Furthermore, relationship between the orbital interaction energy (E ²) with hydrogen bonding energy (E _H···X) and the electron density (??(r)) with hydrogen bonding energy of F^?, Cl^? and CN^? complexes have also been investigated.     

The Beryllium Pentamer: Trailing an Uneven Sequence of Dissociation Energies

Recent high‐resolution spectroscopic studies by Merritt, Bondybey, and Heaven (Science 2009 , 324, 1548) have heightened the anticipation that small beryllium clusters will soon be observed in the laboratory. Beryllium clusters are important discrete models for the theoretical study of metals. The trigonal bipyramidal Be₅ molecule is studied using high‐level coupled cluster methods. We obtain the optimized geometry, atomization and dissociation energies, and vibrational frequencies. The c～CCSDT(Q) method is employed to compute the atomization and dissociation energies. In this approach, complete basis set (CBS) extrapolations at the CCSD(T) level of theory are combined with an additive correction for the effect of iterative triple and perturbative quadruple excitations. Harmonic vibrational frequencies are obtained using analytic gradients computed at the CCSD(T) level of theory. We report an atomization energy of 129.6 kcal mol^?1 at the trigonal bipyramid global minimum geometry. The Be₅→Be₄+Be dissociation energy is predicted to be 39.5 kcal mol^?1. The analogous dissociation energies for the smaller beryllium clusters are 64.0 kcal mol^?1 (Be₄→Be₃+Be), 24.2 kcal mol^?1 (Be₃→Be₂+Be), and 2.7 kcal mol^?1 (Be₂→Be+Be). The trigonal bipyramidal Be₅ structure has an equatorial–equatorial bond length of 2.000 Å and an axial–equatorial distance of 2.060 Å. Harmonic frequencies of 730, 611, 456, 583, 488, and 338 cm^?1 are obtained at the CCSD(T)/cc‐pCVQZ level of theory. Quadruple excitations are found to make noticeable contributions to the energetics of the pentamer, which exhibits a significant level of static correlation.     

The Cloud Point Behaviors and the Liquid–Liquid Equilibrium of L31—Inorganic Sodium Salt Aqueous Two-Phase Systems

The cloud point (CP) of triblock-copolymer L31 aqueous solution was determined with salting-out salts (Na₂SO₄/Na₂CO₃/NaF/NaCl/NaBr). The results show that all these salts can decrease the CP of L31 aqueous solution and form aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). With increasing concentrations of Na₂SO₄ and Na₂CO₃, an obvious phase inversion could be observed and phase inversion points were found. This was mainly due to the change in density, the salt-rich phase shifted from the top phase to the bottom phase. Meanwhile, the liquid-liquid equilibrium (LLE) data for L31-Na₂SO₄/Na₂CO₃/NaF/NaCl/NaBr ATPSs were measured at 288.15 K. The salt ability to decrease the CP and to induce the phase separation is as follows: Na₂SO₄?>?Na₂CO₃, NaF?>?NaCl?>?NaBr. Finally, the order of anions that reduced the CP and caused phase separation was obtained as follows: SO₄^2? >CO₃^2?, F^??>?Cl^??>?Br^?.     

Special feature: Surface analysis

The electron and ion emmission from solid surfaces under electron, ion or photon bombardment supplies detailed information about the chemical composition of the area close to the surface of the bombarded solid. The most universal techniques which can be applied to all kinds of real surfaces, are Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), and ion back-scattering spectroscopy (ISS). An information depth can be obtained between 1 and 15 monolayers and element and compound detection at high sensitivities between 10^?2 and < 10^?6 of one monolayer which corresponds to an absolute amount of material down to < 10^?17 mole.     

Highly Selective Thiocyanate Electrode Based on Bis‐bebzion Schiff Base Binuclear Copper(II) Complex as Neutral Carrier

Abstract

A highly selective polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane electrode, based on N,N′‐(aminoethyl)ethylenediamide bis(2‐benzoideneimine) binuclear copper(II) complex [Cu(II)‐AEBB] as neutral carrier, was prepared for thiocyanate (SCN^?) determination, which displays an anti‐Hofmeister selectivity sequence for a series of anions in the following order: SCN^?>ClO₄ ^?>Sal^? > I^?>NO₃ ^?>Br^?> Cl^?>NO₂ ^?>SO₃ ^2?>F^?>H₂PO₄ ^?>SO₄ ^2?. The electrode exhibited near‐Nernst response for SCN^? with a slope of –59.0 mV/decade over a wide concentration range (8.5×10^?7～6.8×10^?1 mol/L) with a detection limit of –5.0×10^?7 mol/L in pH 5.0 phosphate buffer solution at 25°C. Alternating current (AC) impedance and equivalent circuits were used to investigate the thiocyanate response mechanism of the membrane doped with [Cu(II)‐AEBB].