On the utility of momentum space in the density functional theory description of the steric effect

This paper assesses the utility of momentum space in the density-based quantification of the steric effect proposed by Liu [J. Chem. Phys. 126, 244103 (2007)], which is based on a new energy partition scheme where the total electronic energy is decomposed into contributions from three independent effects: steric, electrostatic, and the fermionic quantum. The steric energy defined in this way is repulsive, exclusive, and extensive and intrinsically linked to Bader's quantum theory of atoms in molecules. In this work, the plausibility of defining and computing steric energies using momentum densities according to this scheme is confirmed from numerical tests. Moreover, we found that the correlation between the experimental scales of the steric energies and theoretical values computed from momentum densities is even better than the same correlation with theoretical estimations obtained from position densities.     

From density functional steric analysis and molecular electrostatic potential to the estimation of etherification rate constant

This research extends our more recent work on the application of molecular electrostatic potential as an effective approach in describing the influence of substituent on etherification reaction rate constant of phenol derivatives. Here, in addition to electronic factor, the steric effects have also been considered for our purpose. To analyze steric effects on etherification rate constant, we use the novel energy partition scheme proposed recently by Liu [S. B. Liu, J. Chem. Phys. 2007, 126, 244103], where the total electronic energy is decomposed into three independent components: steric, electrostatic, and fermionic quantum. In this scheme, the steric potential has also been introduced. We first derive a relationship on the basis of density functional theory to show that the etherification rate constant should be proportional to the electrostatic potential on the atomic sites. Then, a bilinear function of molecular electrostatic potential and steric energy or steric potential is proposed for estimation of etherification reaction rate constants. Taking the experimental kinetics data of 30 substituted phenols, the validity of the proposed approach has been verified in position and momentum spaces. It is worth noting that the remarkable good performance of the momentum densities, which for the first time used in calculations of steric energy for a reaction, has been observed. Finally, using the relationship between new energy partition scheme and information theory, applicability of the Shannon entropy as one of the information theoretic measures is also tested for our goal and considerable results were obtained. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhancing the relaxivity of paramagnetic coordination complexes through the optimization of the molecular electrostatic potential

The low relaxivity of paramagnetic coordination complexes limits their use as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To address this problem, we study the relationship between the molecular structure of these complexes and their relaxivity. While others have investigated the vibrational modes as molecular determinants of the electronic spin relaxation time, we focus on the analysis of the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) of the paramagnetic coordination complex. Electrostatic forces dominate the interaction between the coordination complex and water. Hence, in addition to steric forces, the molecular electrostatic potential should be a determinant of the lifetime of the water-metal link (t_m), the internuclear distance between the water hydrogens and the metal (R), and the number of water molecules attached to the metal in the inner and outer spheres of coordination. We compute the molecular electrostatic potential for a series of model metalloporphyrins because their physical and biologic properties are well known, and they are putative magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents with affinity to neoplastic tissue. Replacing the sulfonato groups in MnTPPS4 with carboxylate groups in the ortho position of the phenyl rings attached to the meso carbons results in an electrostatic focusing field that should reduce R and increase t_m. Similar substitutions involving polar groups, including one modeled after a well-known picket-fence porphyrin, are not strong enough to generate a focusing field. Instead, these polar groups should modulate the water-metal interactions through steric interactions. Molecular dynamic simulations show a large outer sphere of coordination around the paramagnet that extends almost three times the distance of the inner sphere of coordination.     

Concentration dependence of thermodynamic,transport and surface properties in Ag–Cu liquid alloys

Thermodynamic, transport and surface properties of Ag–Cu liquid alloys have been investigated on the basis of a simple statistical model. The free energy of mixing, heat of mixing and entropy of mixing have been computed to understand the thermodynamic properties of Ag–Cu alloys in liquid state at 1,423 K. The concentration–concentration fluctuations in the long wavelength limit and the chemical short range order parameter have been determined to comprehend the microscopic and structural information of the alloy. The viscosity and surface tension of the alloy have been evaluated to analyze the transport and surface properties. The theoretical analysis reveals that the energy parameter is temperature dependent, and that Ag–Cu liquid alloy is a weakly interacting-phase separating system.     

Advances and challenges in DFT-based energy materials design

The growing worldwide energy needs call for developing novel materials for energy applications. Ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations allow the understanding and prediction of material properties at the atomic scale, thus, play an important role in energy materials design. Due to the fast progress of computer power and development of calculation methodologies, DFT-based calculations have greatly improved their predictive power, and are now leading to a paradigm shift towards theory-driven materials design. The aim of this perspective is to introduce the advances in DFT calculations which accelerate energy materials design. We first present state-of-the-art DFT methods for accurate simulation of various key properties of energy materials. Then we show examples of how these advances lead to the discovery of new energy materials for photovoltaic, photocatalytic, thermoelectric, and battery applications. The challenges and future research directions in computational design of energy materials are highlighted at the end.     

A spin-polarized scheme for obtaining quasi-particle energies within the density functional theory

We discuss an efficient scheme for obtaining spin-polarized quasi-particle excitation energies within the general framework of the density functional theory (DFT). Our approach is to correct the DFT eigenvalues via the electrostatic energy of a majority or minority spin electron resulting from its interaction with the associated exchange and correlation holes by using appropriate spin-resolved pair correlation functions. A version of the method for treating systems with localized orbitals, including the case of partially filled metallic bands, is considered. Illustrative results on Cu are presented.     

CO adsorption on Ni, Pd, Cu and Ag deposited on MgO, CaO, SrO and BaO: Density functional calculations

The adsorption properties of CO molecules adsorbed on Ni, Pd, Cu and Ag atoms deposited on O²⁻, F and F⁺ sites of MgO, CaO, SrO and BaO terrace surfaces have been studied by means of density functional calculations and embedded cluster model. The examined clusters were embedded in the simulated Coulomb fields that closely approximate the Madelung fields of the host surfaces. The adsorption properties of CO have been analyzed with reference to the basicity of the oxide support, bond order conservation energy, pairwise and non-pairwise additivity, associative adsorption, electrostatic potentials, and orbital interactions. CO adsorption on an oxide support is drastically enhanced when CO is adsorbed on a metal deposited on this support. A dramatic change is found, and explained, when one compares the CO binding energy to O²⁻ and F sites. The formation of a strong bond at the support-metal interface has a considerable consequence on the metal-CO binding energy. The binding of CO is dominated by the metal-CO pairwise additive term, and the non-additivity term increases with increasing the basicity of the support. While the classical contributions to the electrostatic interactions are quite similar for the deposited metals, they are quite dissimilar when going from defect-free to defect-containing surfaces. The adsorption properties correlate linearly with the basicity and energy gaps of the oxide support where the electrostatic potential generated by the oxide modifies the physical and chemical properties of the adsorbed metal and therefore its reactivity versus the CO adsorbate.     

Application of atomic force microscopy to microbial surfaces: from reconstituted cell surface layers to living cells.

The application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe the ultrastructure and physical properties of microbial cell surfaces is reviewed. The unique capabilities of AFM can be summarized as follows: imaging surface topography with (sub)nanometer lateral resolution; examining biological specimens under physiological conditions; measuring local properties and interaction forces. AFM is being used increasingly for: (i) visualizing the surface ultrastructure of microbial cell surface layers, including bacterial S-layers, purple membranes, porin OmpF crystals and fungal rodlet layers; (ii) monitoring conformational changes of individual membrane proteins; (iii) examining the morphology of bacterial biofilms, (iv) revealing the nanoscale structure of living microbial cells, including fungi, yeasts and bacteria, (v) mapping interaction forces at microbial surfaces, such as van der Waals and electrostatic forces, solvation forces, and steric/bridging forces; and (vi) probing the local mechanical properties of cell surface layers and of single cells.     

Fast computation of many-particle hydrodynamic and electrostatic interactions in a confined geometry

An O(N) method is presented for calculation of hydrodynamic or electrostatic interactions between N point particles in a confined geometry. This approach splits point forces or sources into a local contribution for which rapidly decaying free-space analytical solutions to the Stokes or Poisson equations are used, and a global contribution whose effect is determined numerically using a fast iterative method. The scheme is applied to Brownian dynamics simulations of flowing confined polymer solutions, and the effects of concentration on hydrodynamically induced migration phenomena are illustrated.     

The interaction of water with solid surfaces: fundamental aspects revisited

Water is perhaps the most important and most pervasive chemical on our planet. The influence of water permeates virtually all areas of biochemical, chemical and physical importance, and is especially evident in phenomena occurring at the interfaces of solid surfaces. Since 1987, when Thiel and Madey (TM) published their review titled ‘The interaction of water with solid surfaces: fundamental aspects’ in Surface Science Reports, there has been considerable progress made in further understanding the fundamental interactions of water with solid surfaces. In the decade and a half, the increased capability of surface scientists to probe at the molecular-level has resulted in more detailed information of the properties of water on progressively more complicated materials and under more stringent conditions. This progress in understanding the properties of water on solid surfaces is evident both in areas for which surface science methodology has traditionally been strong (catalysis and electronic materials) and also in new areas not traditionally studied by surface scientists such as electrochemistry, photoconversion, mineralogy, adhesion, sensors, atmospheric chemistry and tribology. Researchers in all these fields grapple with very basic questions regarding the interactions of water with solid surfaces such as how is water adsorbed, what are the chemical and electrostatic forces that constitute the adsorbed layer, how is water thermally or non-thermally activated and how do coadsorbates influence these properties of water. The attention paid to these and other fundamental questions in the past decade and a half has been immense. In this review, experimental studies published since the TM review are assimilated with those covered by TM to provide a current picture of the fundamental interactions of water with solid surfaces.     

基于亲电/亲核反应描述符的气体介质绝缘强度预测

研究分子微观参数与气体介质绝缘强度的关联,可为SF₆替代气体筛选提供方向.本文基于密度泛函理论,采用M06-2X泛函与def2系列基组,计算了73种气体分子的亲电/亲核反应描述符,包括轨道能量参数、概念密度泛函理论的参数、不同电子概率密度等值面的静电势参数等;分析了各描述符与气体介质绝缘强度的相关性,以及描述符的独立性,最终提出了绝缘强度预测模型.最低空轨道能量、正负静电势表面积、静电势平均偏差、简缩局部亲电指数最小值与绝缘强度相关性较强,且彼此间相关性较低.预测模型在电子概率密度0.0002 a.u.时精度最优,其可决系数R²为0.809,均方误差MSE为0.096.     

Steric and energetic properties of the Cl-–C6H6–Arn heterocluster

The dynamics of heteroclusters containing argon, benzene and chlorine has been investigated using a recently proposed potential energy functional that takes into account both the electrostatic and the non-electrostatic contributions to the overall noncovalent interaction. Related steric and energetic properties are compared with those homologous cationic clusters.     

基于密度泛函理论的5~10元瓜环结构参数与前线轨道的计算

在气相环境中,使用密度泛函理论（DFT）优化由n个苷脲单元组成的瓜环[n]（CB[n]）（n=5~10）,并使用密度泛函（DFT）概念指数和Multiwfn软件包计算和分析CB[n]的结构参数、前线轨道能量和化学稳定性.结果表明：α-N结构最稳定,α=O、γ-γ、γ-H和β-H（2）结构的化学稳定性较差;以CB[6]为界,主要二面角的变化呈现中心对称的形式;随着苷脲单元n的增加,CB[n]的端口直径、空腔直径和圆外径线性增大;前线轨道E_HOMO、E_LUMO值及E_LUMO-E_HOMO值逐渐降低,化学活性逐渐增强、稳定性逐渐减弱;端口O原子是最大的亲电活性位点,LUMO的电子云分布主要与H原子有关,且次甲基H原子对LUMO电子云的贡献最大;次甲基C原子、亚甲基C原子和指向CB[n]端口方向的亚甲基H原子对LUMO的电子云分布具有抑制作用,抑制能力的大小为指向CB[n]端口方向的亚甲基H原子>亚甲基C原子>次甲基C原子.为研究瓜环的超分子组装提供理论依据.