The interaction between hexahydroxytriphenylene and the rutile TiO2(110)-(1 × 1) surface at UHV conditions

The interaction between 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene (HHTP) and the rutile TiO₂(110)–(1 × 1) surface under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions was investigated using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The NEXAFS results showed that HHTP molecules formed a submonolayer and a monolayer that aligned along the [001]-direction with, respectively, a more or less flat downward orientation and a more upright orientation to the TiO₂ surface. The HHTP molecules that aligned along the [001]-direction were most likely grafted onto the TiO₂(110) surface by a bidentate bridge between each of the oxygen atoms of one of the catechol units within the HHTP molecule and two adjacent Ti(5f)⁴⁺ ions on the TiO₂(110) surface. The coordination is non-dissociative in the case of the submonolayer, but dissociative in the monolayer, according to the analysis of the C1s XPS, UPS, C1s NEXAFS data and complementary DFT calculations.     

Self-assembled structures of 4′-([2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine]-4′-yl)-[1,1′-phenyl]-4-carboxylic acid molecules induced by metal atoms on ag(111) surface

The self-assembled supramolecular structures of 4′-([2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine]-4′-yl)-[1,1′-phenyl]-4-carboxylic acid (Y) molecules on Ag(111) surface induced by metal elements have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. After annealing, the as-deposited monolayer of Y molecules shows four kinds of well-ordered structures due to the competition between dipole interaction, hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals interaction. Introduced Cu atoms drive ordered monolayer into a self-assembled supramolecular structure with bright spots. Deposited Ag atoms cause the monolayer change to a windmill shape self-assembled supramolecular structure. Though the Cu and Ag are in the same group of the periodic table, a Cu atom connects two COOH groups and an Ag atom trends to bind to three COOH groups during the formation of metal-organic bonding within both induced structures. Such result suggests that the self-assembled structures formed by metal-organic coordination bonding can be controlled by choosing the number of metal-organic coordination bonds, which can be helpful to design metal-organic molecular architectures comprising functional building blocks.     

室温下单个甘氨酸分子在Cu(111)表面的操纵研究

先用低能电子衍射(LEED)证明了甘氨酸(NH₂-CH₂-COOH)能在室温下在Cu单晶表面产生比较稳定的吸附，然后用扫描隧道显微镜(STM)进一步研究了其吸附情况，看到单个甘氨酸分子在Cu(111)面上吸附稳定并至少有三种吸附状态.分子操纵研究结果表明，甘氨酸分子是被针尖“推着”移动的，它在Cu(111)面有固定的吸附位，并且移动时其吸附状态可以不变.研究结果表明，甘氨酸适合做室温下小分子的可控操纵研究，并且也说明室温下小分子的可控操纵是可能的. 关键词：     

Erratum

We describe a simple method to generate a number of plausible trial structures for layers of chemisorbed molecules on metal surfaces, based on symmetry arguments. The formation, or packing, energy of these layers can be evaluated as sums of non-bonded interactions, and their stability can be judged on the basis of the shape of the packing energy profile as a function of molecular rotation. For naphthalene and azulene on Rh(111), p3 and pgg (or pg) structures are found to be the most stable. The definition and possible appearance of “twinned” layer structures is discussed. The method is claimed to provide inexpensive and reliable structural information for layers of large covalent molecules.     

Discrimination in racemates of small chiral molecules

A comparison of similar chiral molecules provides information about the impact of molecular characteristics on selectivity. In this article, the intermolecular structure in racemic fluids is the basis for comparing the molecules: the radial distribution between atoms on identical molecules is compared with the corresponding distribution for atoms from a mirror-image pair. A difference in these distributions signals an enantiomeric imbalance in the local distribution of molecules. The structure in the racemic fluids is explored using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and the integral equation theory of Chandler, Silbey and Ladanyi (CSL) [1982, Molec. Phys., 46, 1335].

Racemic fluids are examined for several categories of chiral molecules. First, symmetrically shaped molecules have been considered in order to isolate local excesses attributable to energetic contributions. Second, racemates of hard chiral molecules have been examined. Here, enantiomeric imbalances can only originate from asymmetry in the molecular shape. Finally, both the molecular shape and the interaction strengths have been varied in order to explore the competition between steric and energetic effects. Within each category, the number of chiral molecules is large and a selection mechanism is required to identify those molecules which are expected to show large local excesses. An appropriate selection criterion (chirality index) has been defined and evaluated for 400 000 chiral molecules. Based on the results of this assessment, 24 racemates have been chosen for detailed examination by MC simulations and integral equation theories.     

Adsorption of pyrimidine molecules on Pd(110) observed by scanning tunneling microscopy

Adsorbed states of pyrimidine molecules on Pd(110) have been studied by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The pyrimidine molecules are preferentially adsorbed on terraces, not at steps. The isolated pyrimidine molecule shows a 0.6 nm × 0.6 nm rectangular shape with two parts of elongated protrusions. Two adsorption sites are observed: on-top site of the Pd[1 0] row and the midway between two [1 0] rows. Pyrimidine molecules show a strong tendency to form dimers even at a low coverage (0.01 ML), indicating that there is an attractive interaction between two adsorbed molecules.     

氢键对2-(N-甲基)氨基-5-硝基吡啶分子非线性光学性质的影响

本文在杂化密度泛函理论水平上研究了溶剂对2-(N-甲基)氨基-5-硝基吡啶分子非线性光学性质的影响.在溶剂中,构造了包括氢键作用的超分子体系,在优化结构的基础上分别研究了由极化连续模型模拟的溶剂与该分子的长程相互作用、溶剂与该分子的氢键相互作用以及溶剂与包括氢键作用的超分子体系整体的相互作用对分子的几何结构、非线性光学性质、紫外吸收光谱和电荷分布等特性的影响.结果表明,溶剂中分子电偶极矩、线性极化率和第一超极化率都增大,而溶剂与溶质分子通过氢键形成的超分子结构与单体有着明显区别.因此,氢键对分子结构和性质的影响较大,从而将明显的影响该类分子的非线性光学性质.     

Influence of the magnetic field and measurement temperature on the shape of microphotoluminescence spectra of Eu-Doped InGaN/GaN quantum-well structures

Based on the results of complex investigations of the influence of the magnetic field strength and measurement temperature on the shape of microphotoluminescence (micro-PL) spectra of Eu-doped InGaN/GaN quantum-well structures, the determination of the charge state of Eu impurity ions, and the change in the concentration of dopant ions, it has been shown that an increase in the magnetic field strength (0–5 T) leads to a more significant decrease in the luminescence intensity as compared to the undoped structures. An increase in the measurement temperature from 4.2 to 78 K results in an enhancement of the effect of the magnetic field on the shape of the micro-PL spectra of Eu-doped InGaN/GaN structures. It has been demonstrated that the doping of InGaN/GaN quantum-well structures with europium at a high excitation level leads to a shift in the maximum of the luminescence intensity toward the long-wavelength range of the spectrum.     

Thermodynamic and kinetic considerations of nucleation and stabilization of acoustic cavitation bubbles in water

Qualitative explanation for a homogeneous nucleation of acoustic cavitation bubbles in the incompressible liquid water with simple phenomenological approach has been provided via the concept of the desorbtion of the dissolved gas and the vaporization of local liquid molecules. The liquid medium has been viewed as an ensemble of lattice structures. Validity of the lattice structure approach against the Brownian motion of molecules in the liquid state has been discussed. Criterion based on probability for nucleus formation has been defined for the vaporization of local liquid molecules. Energy need for the enthalpy of vaporization has been considered as an energy criterion for the formation of a vaporous nucleus. Sound energy, thermal energy of the liquid bulk (Joule-Thomson effect) and free energy of activation, which is associated with water molecules in the liquid state (Brownian motion) as per the modified Eyring's kinetic theory of liquid are considered as possible sources for the enthalpy of vaporization of water molecules forming a single unit lattice. The classical nucleation theory has then been considered for expressing further growth of the vaporous nucleus against the surface energy barrier. Effect of liquid property (temperature), and effect of an acoustic parameter (frequency) on an acoustic cavitation threshold pressure have been discussed. Kinetics of nucleation has been considered.     

The neverending story of shape resonances

Shape resonances, their definition, their nature, their use and supposedly almost miraculous capabilities, have been a rather controversial topic in the scientific literature for quite a long time. There was an upsurge of papers and heated discussions at conferences about these issues more than 10 years ago, the main point of which was whether the shape resonance position in energy above a core level ionization threshold in molecules, either isolated or adsorbed on surfaces, bears some information on bond lengths, with two opposite schools of thought, one maintaining that such connection, if existent at all, is rather loose, the other one ready to use some linear dependence of the shape resonance energy upon bond lengths to actually derive unknown bond distances in adsorbed molecules (the so-called ‘bond-lengths-with-a-ruler’ party). The latest technical and instrumental developments have given rise to another wave of shape resonance papers in the last 3 years. Criteria to assign shape resonances have been reconsidered under the light of new experimental results, and some molecules which were categorized as textbook examples for shape resonances have been shown not to exhibit such continuum phenomena at all. Therefore it is time for a historical survey which hopefully will straighten up some misconceptions still floating around in the literature.     

Engineering of SERS Substrates Based on Noble Metal Nanomaterials for Chemical and Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has attracted great interest due to its remarkable enhancement, excellent sensitivity, and the “fingerprinting” ability to produce distinct spectra for detecting various molecules. Noble metal nanomaterials have usually been employed as SERS-active substrates because of their strong SERS enhancement originated from their unique surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties. Because the SPR property depends on metal material's size, shape, morphology, arrangement, and dielectric environment around metal nanostructures, the key to wider applications of SERS technique is to develop plasmon-resonant structures with novel geometries to enhance Raman signals and to control the periodic ordering of these structures over a large area to obtain reproducible Raman enhancement. This review presents a general view on the theory background of SERS effect and several basic concepts and focuses on recent progress in engineering metallic nanostructures with various morphologies using versatile methods for improving SERS properties. Their potential applications in the field of chemical detection and biological sensing are overviewed.     

Effect of metal catalyst on the mechanism of hydrogen spillover in three-dimensional covalent-organic frameworks

Hydrogen spillover mechanism of metal-supported covalent-organic frameworks COF-105 is investigated by means of the density functional theory, and the effects of metal catalysts M_4(Pt_4, Pd_4, and Ni_4) on the whole spillover process are systematically analyzed. These three metal catalysts exhibit several similar phenomena:(i) they prefer to deposit on the tetra(_4-dihydroxyborylphenyl) silane(TBPS) cluster with surface-contacted configuration;(ii) only the H atoms at the bridge site can migrate to 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxy triphenylene(HHTP) and TBPS surfaces, and the migration process is an endothermic reaction and not stable;(iii) the introduction of M_4 catalyst can greatly reduce the diffusion energy barrier of H atoms, which makes it easier for the H atoms to diffuse on the substrate surface. Differently, all of the H2 molecules spontaneously dissociate into H atoms onto Pt_4 and Pd_4clusters. However, the adsorbed H2 molecules on Ni_4 cluster show two types of adsorption states: one activated state with stretched H–H bond length of 0.88 ?A via the Kubas interaction and five dissociated states with separated hydrogen atoms. Among all the M_4 catalysts, the orders of the binding energy of M_4 deposited on the substrate and average chemisorption energy per H2 molecule are Pt_4Ni_4Pd_4. On the contrary, the orders of the migration and diffusion barriers of H atoms are Pt_4Ni_4Pd_4, which indicates that Pt_4 is the most promising catalyst for the hydrogen spillover with the lowest migration and diffusion energy barriers. However, the migration of H atoms from Pt_4 toward the substrate is still endothermic. Thus direct migration of H atom from metal catalyst toward the substrate is thermodynamically unfavorable.     

Direct probe of the shape resonance mechanism in 2sigma(g)-shell photoionization of the N2 molecule

Angular distributions of photoelectrons from a 2sigma(g) shell of fixed-in-space N2 molecules have been measured for left- and right-elliptically polarized and for linearly polarized light at several photon energies in the region of sigma(*) shape resonance. That allowed the determination of a set of dipole matrix elements and phase shift differences characterizing the process. These data clearly show the enhancement of the fsigma(u) partial cross section in the resonance simultaneously with an abrupt increase of the corresponding phase shift by pi, which is the first experimental demonstration of the nature of the sigma(*) shape resonance in homonuclear diatomic molecules.     

Two commensurate hydrogen-bonded monolayer structures of melamine on Ag(111)

Melamine (1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine) was deposited on the Ag(111) surface under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. It forms two different monolayer structures, which were investigated by low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy. The α-phase is a honeycomb structure containing two molecules per unit-cell. The molecular orientation within the unit-cell is determined by six hydrogen bonds. The α-phase is kinetically preferred upon deposition at room-temperature and can be transferred to the thermodynamically more stable β-phase by annealing at 333 K. The β-phase has an oblique unit-cell containing four molecules and shows a higher surface density with additional hydrogen bonds between adjacent amino groups. Both structures are commensurate. While the structural motif of the α-phase has been observed before on Au(111) and Ag–Si(111) surfaces, the structure of the β-phase has been so far only theoretically predicted.     

Equilibrium structures and flows of polar and nonpolar liquids in different carbon nanotubes

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of equilibrium structures and flows of polar water and nonpolar methane confined by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with circular and square cross sections and bounding walls with regular graphene structure and random (amorphous) distribution of carbon atoms have been performed. The results of these simulations show that equilibrium structures of both confined liquids depend strongly on the shape of the cross section of SWCNTs, whereas the structure of their bounding walls has a minor influence on these structures. On contrary, the external pressure driven water and methane flows through above mentioned SWCNTs depend significantly on both the shape of their cross sections and the structure of their bounding walls.     

Plasma modification of self-assembled structures of CoTMPP molecules

Plasma-treated cobalt metalloporphyrins have recently been proposed as electrocatalysts for the oxygen and oxygen peroxide reduction reaction. Whereas the effects of plasma treatment on the elemental composition of the surface of catalysts have been investigated, the effects of plasma treatment on the morphology of catalysts have not yet been studied. In this study, plasma modified nanosized structures of cobalt tetramethoxyphenylporphyrin (CoTMPP) molecules arising from the deposition of a porphyrin solution on an a-C:H film are investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Additionally, the effects of plasma treatment on the structure of porphyrin molecules are studied by using ultra violet visible (UV-vis) absorption analysis. The investigations reveal the morphological changes which accompany the transformation of CoTMPP into the final catalytic material. First, the large CoTMPP aggregates are split into smaller ones. Second, the CoTMPP layer appears to be sublimated after plasma treatment. Sublimated CoTMPP molecules can be decomposed by plasma and after redeposition can form catalytic active fragments.     

Potential controlled surface aggregation of surfactants at electrode surfaces – A molecular view

By describing studies of three prototypical surfactants with similar hydrophobic tails but differently charged headgroups, this review provides a summary of the rich phase behavior of soluble surfactant molecules at electrified interfaces. With the use of electrochemical, scanning probe microscopy, and neutron scattering techniques we have been able to fully explore the adsorption and surface aggregation of these molecular systems. Furthermore, we have been able to provide compelling evidence of electric field-driven phase transitions in these surfactant films and their aggregated structures. Cumulatively, our results demonstrate that the electrical state of a surface (namely surface charge or applied potential) plays an integral role in determining the morphology of surfactants at solid interfaces. Unlike other aggregate shape determining factors such as the surfactant packing parameter, the electrical parameter can readily be adjusted in situ, providing a tunable means to control films of soft condensed matter.     

Interface charge transfer between metal phthalocyanine and fluorinated hexaazatrinaphthylene molecules

A typical donor/accepter (D/A) interface made of fluorinated hexaazatrinaphthylene (HATANA-F6) and metal phthalocyanine (MPc) molecules has been studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. Planar shape copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and non-planar titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) molecules show contrast behavior of D/A interface charge transfer (CT), though the electron affinity of HATANA-F6 is smaller than the ionization potential (IP) of both MPcs. While the CuPc/HATNA-F6 interface has no clue for the CT, the TiOPc/HATNA-F6 has an indication of interface CT-induced band bending. Not only the difference in IP but also molecular shape and interface geometry at D/A contact largely affect the characteristics of CT state formation.     

PuNO分子结构与势能函数

本文运用密度泛函理论的B3LYP方法, 对钚原子应用LANL2DZ收缩价基函数, 氮、氧原子采用AUG-cc-pVTZ基函数, 分别对PuN, PuO, NO和PuNO体系进行了结构优化, 得到PuNO分子最稳构型为C_∞v (Pu-N-O), 电子态为⁶Σ^- (基态), 平衡核间距R_ON=0.12257 nm, R_NPu=0.22951 nm, 离解能D_e=8.10537 eV. 同时优化得到PuNO 分子存在两种亚稳态平衡构型分别为C_∞v (Pu-O-N), ⁶Σ^- (电子态)和C_s (O-Pu-N), A" (电子态), 以及分子体系相应的力学常数等. 拟合出PuN, PuO 和NO 分子的Murrell-Sorbie势能函数, 并使用多体项展式理论得到了PuNO分子的分析势能函数, 其等值势能图准确再现了PuNO分子最稳态构型及两个亚稳态构型的离解能和结构特性, 由此讨论了该分子体系的势能面静态特征.