Atomic and electronic structures of fluorinated BN nanotubes: computational study

The atomic and electronic structures of fluorinated BN nanotubes (BNNTs) were investigated by generalized gradient approximation (GGA) density functional theory (DFT). The reaction energies of F2 with pristine single-walled BNNTs to form fluorinated BNNTs are exothermic up to 50% coverage. At lower F coverages (below 50%), fluorines prefer external attachments to boron atoms and stay as far away as possible. At 50% F coverage, fluorines favor attachment to all the boron atoms of the outer surface energetically. Such preferable fluorination patterns and highly exothermic reaction energies hold true for double-walled (and multiwalled) BNNTs when the outer tube surface is considered. Fluorination transforms BNNTs into p-type semiconductors at low F coverages, while high F coverages convert BNNTs into p-type conductors. Therefore, the electronic and transport properties of BNNTs can be engineered by fluorination, and this provides potential applications for fluorinated BNNTs in nanoelectronics.     

Hydrogen adsorption on zigzag (8,0) boron nitride nanotubes

The chemical adsorption of H atoms on an (8,0) zigzag boron nitride nanotube is studied using the density functional theory with the supercell method. One to four H atoms per 32 B and 32 N are considered. The results show that H atoms prefer to adsorb on the top sites of adjacent B and N atoms to form an armchair chain along the tube axis. An even-odd oscillation behavior of the adsorption energy of H atoms on the tube is found, and the average adsorption energy of even H atoms is obviously bigger than that of odd H atoms. The results can be understood with the frontier orbital theory. Based on this adsorption behavior, several high-symmetric structures of H adsorbed boron nitride nanotubes with 50% and 100% coverages are studied. The pairs of lines' pattern with 50% coverage has the biggest average adsorption energy per H(2) among the chosen configurations, corresponding to approximately 4 wt % hydrogen storage.     

Adsorption of the nitrosamine and thionitrosamine molecules as carcinogen compounds on the BN and B3Al N nanotubes: A DFT study

DFT calculations were performed to investigation of the influence of doping three atoms of aluminum on the electronic properties of the (4,0) zigzag boron nitride nanotube (BNNT). Also, adsorption properties of nitrosamine (NA) and thionitrosamine (TNA) molecules as carcinogen agents onto BN and B_Al3N nanotubes were studied. The results show that the B_3AlN nanotube is the most energetically favorable candidates for adsorption of these molecules. Also, B(B_3Al)NNT/TNA complexes are more stable than B(B_3Al)NNT/NA complexes. The HOMO–LUMO gap, electronic chemical potential (μ), hardness (?), softness (S), the maximum amount of electronic charge (ΔN_max) and electrophilicity index (ω) for monomers and complexes in the gas and polar solvent phases were calculated. The results show that the conductivity and reactivity of BNNT increase by doping Al atoms instead of B atoms. Also, the interaction of NA and TNA molecules with BN and B_Al3N nanotubes results in significant changes in the electronic properties of nanotubes. Based on the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis, in all complexes charge transfer occurs from NA and TNA molecules to nanotubes. Theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) was applied to characterize the nature of interactions in nanotubes. It is predicted that, BN and B_3AlN nanotubes can be used to as sensor for detection of NA and TNA molecules.     

Chemical functionalization of boron-nitride nanotubes with NH3 and amino functional groups

We have investigated properties of chemically modified boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with NH(3) and four other amino functional groups (NH(2)CH(3), NH(2)CH(2)OCH(3), NH(2)CH(2)COOH, and NH(2)COOH) on the basis of density functional theory calculations. Unlike the case of carbon nanotubes, we found that NH(3) can be chemically adsorbed on top of the boron atom, with a charge transfer from NH(3) to the BNNT. The minimum-energy path calculation shows that a small energy barrier is encountered during the adsorption. Similarly, a small energy barrier (about 0.42 eV) is also involved in the desorption, suggesting that both adsorption and desorption can be realized even at room temperature. For chemically modified BNNTs with various amino functional groups, the adsorption energies are typically less than that of NH(3) on the BNNT. The trend of adsorption-energy change can be correlated with the trend of relative electron-withdrawing or -donating capability of the amino functional groups. Overall, the chemical modification of BNNTs with the amino groups results in little changes in the electronic properties of BNNTs. However, the chemical reactivity of the BNNTs can be enhanced by the chemical modification with the amino group containing -COOH.     

Nitrogen monoxide storage and sensing applications of transition metal–doped boron nitride nanotubes: a DFT investigation

The structural properties, electronic properties, and adsorption abilities for nitrogen monoxide (NO) molecule adsorption on pristine and transition metal (TM = V, Cr, Mn, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ta, W, and Re) doping on B or N site of armchair (5,5) single-walled boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) were investigated using the density functional theory method. The binding energies of TM-doped BNNTs reveal that the Mo atom doping exhibits the strongest binding ability with BNNT. In addition, the NO molecule weakly interacts with the pristine BNNT, whereas it has a strong adsorption ability on TM-doped BNNTs. The increase in the adsorption ability of NO molecule onto the TM-doped BNNTs is due to the geometrical deformation on TM doping site and the charge transfer between TM-doped BNNTs and NO molecule. Moreover, a significant decrease in energy gap of the BNNT after TM doping is expected to be an available strategy for improving its electrical conductivity. These observations suggest that NO adsorption and sensing ability of BNNT could be greatly improved by introducing appropriate TM dopant. Therefore, TM-doped BNNTs may be a useful guidance to be storage and sensing materials for the detection of NO molecule.

     

SiC-doped boron nitride nanotubes: computations of 11B and 14N quadrupole coupling constants

Abstract  

Density-functional theory calculations have been performed to investigate the properties of the electronic structures of silicon–carbon-doped boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). The geometries of zigzag and armchair BNNTs were initially optimized and the quadrupole coupling constants subsequently calculated. The results indicate that doping of B and N atoms by C and Si atoms has more influence on the electronic structure of the BNNTs than does doping of B and N atoms by Si and C atoms. The changes of the electronic sites of the N atoms are also more significant than those of the B atoms.     

Ab initio theoretical study of non-covalent adsorption of aromatic molecules on boron nitride nanotubes

We have studied non-covalent functionalization of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with benzene molecule and with seven other different heterocyclic aromatic rings (furan, thiophene, pyrrole, pyridine, pyrazine, pyrimidine, and pyridazine, respectively). A hybrid density functional theory (DFT) method with the inclusion of dispersion correction is employed. The structural and electronic properties of the functionalized BNNTs are obtained. The DFT calculation shows that upon adsorption to the BNNT, the center of aromatic rings tend to locate on top of the nitrogen site. The trend of adsorption energy for the aromatic rings on the BNNTs shows marked dependence on different intermolecular interactions, including the dispersion interaction (area of the delocalized π bond), the dipole-dipole interaction (polarization), and the electrostatic repulsion (lone pair electrons). The DFT calculation also shows that non-covalent functionalization of BNNTs with aromatic rings can give rise to new impurity states within the band gap of pristine BNNTs, suggesting possible carrier doping of BNNTs via selective adsorption of aromatic rings.     

On the composition and crystal structure of the new quaternary hydride phase Li4BN3H10

X-ray data on single crystals of the quaternary metal hydride near the composition LiB(0.33)N(0.67)H(2.67), previously identified as "Li3BN2H8", reveal that its true composition is Li4BN3H10. The structure has body-centered-cubic symmetry [space group I2(1)3, cell parameter a = 10.679(1)-10.672(1) Angstroms] and contains an ordered arrangement of BH4- and NH2- anions in the molar ratio 1:3. The borohydride anion has an almost ideal tetrahedral geometry (angleH-B-H approximately 108-114 degrees), while the amide anion has a nearly tetrahedral bond angle (angleH-N-H approximately 106 degrees). Three symmetry-independent Li atom sites are surrounded by BH4- and NH2- anions in various distorted tetrahedral configurations, one by two B and two N atoms, another by four N atoms, and the third by one B and three N atoms. The Li configuration around B is nearly tetrahedral, while that around N resembles a distorted saddlelike configuration, similar to those in LiBH4 and LiNH2, respectively.     

Adsorption of transition-metal atoms on boron nitride nanotube: a density-functional study

Adsorption of transition atoms on a (8,0) zigzag single-walled boron nitride (BN) nanotube has been investigated using density-functional theory methods. Main focuses have been placed on configurations corresponding to the located minima of the adsorbates, the corresponding binding energies, and the modified electronic properties of the BN nanotubes due to the adsorbates. We have systemically studied a series of metal adsorbates including all 3d transition-metal elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) and two group-VIIIA transition-metal elements (Pd and Pt). We found that many transition-metal atoms can be chemically adsorbed on the outer surface of the BN nanotubes and that the adsorption process is typically exothermic. Upon adsorption, the binding energies of the Sc, Ti, Ni, Pd, and Pt atoms are relatively high (>1.0 eV), while those of V, Fe, and Co atoms are modest, ranging from 0.62 to 0.92 eV. Mn atom forms a weak bond with the BN nanotube, while Zn atom cannot be chemically adsorbed on the BN nanotube. In most cases, the adsorption of transition-metal atoms can induce certain impurity states within the band gap of the pristine BN nanotube, thereby reducing the band gap. Most metal-adsorbed BN nanotubes exhibit nonzero magnetic moments, contributed largely by the transition-metal atoms.     

Reactions of ammonia on stoichiometric and reduced TiO(2)(001) single crystal surfaces

The reaction of NH(3) on the surface of the 011-faceted structure of the TiO(2)(001) single crystal is studied and compared to that on the O-defected surface. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) conducted after NH(3) adsorption at 300 K shows only molecular desorption at 340 K. Modeling of TPD signals as a function of surface coverage indicated that the activation energy, E(d), and pre-exponential factor, v(eff), decrease with increasing coverage. Near zero surface coverage, E(d) was found to be equal to 92 kJ/mol and v(eff) to be close to 10(13) /s. Both parameters decreased to approximately 52 kJ/mol and approximately 10(7) /s at saturation coverage. The decrease is due to a repulsive interaction of adsorbed NH(3) molecules on the surface. Computing of the TPD results show that saturation is obtained at 1/2 monolayer coverage (referred to Ti atoms). Both the amount and shape of NH(3) peak change on the reduced (Ar(+)-sputtered) surfaces. The desorption peak at 340 K is considerably attenuated on mildly reduced surfaces (TiO( approximately )(1.9)) and has totally disappeared on the heavily reduced surfaces (TiO(1.6)(-)(1.7)), where the main desorption peak is found at 440 K. This 440-K desorption is most likely due to NH(x) + H recombination resulting from ammonia dissociation upon adsorption on Ti atoms in low oxidation states.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of substituted BN sheets: a density functional theory study

Using density functional calculations, we investigate the geometries, electronic structures and magnetic properties of hexagonal BN sheets with 3d transition metal (TM) and nonmetal atoms embedded in three types of vacancies: V(B), V(N), and V(B+N). We show that some embedded configurations, except TM atoms in V(N) vacancy, are stable in BN sheets and yield interesting phenomena. For instance, the band gaps and magnetic moments of BN sheets can be tuned depending on the embedded dopant species and vacancy type. In particular, embedment such as Cr in V(B+N), Co in V(B), and Ni in V(B) leads to half-metallic BN sheets interesting for spin filter applications. From the investigation of Mn-chain (C(Mn)) embedments, a regular 1D structure can be formed in BN sheets as an electron waveguide, a metal nanometre wire with a single atom thickness.     

Benchmarking dispersion and geometrical counterpoise corrections for cost‐effective large‐scale DFT calculations of water adsorption on graphene

The physisorption of water on graphene is investigated with the hybrid density functional theory (DFT)‐functional B3LYP combined with empirical corrections, using moderate‐sized basis sets such as 6‐31G(d). This setup allows to model the interaction of water with graphene going beyond the quality of classical or semiclassical simulations, while still keeping the computational costs under control. Good agreement with respect to Coupled Cluster with singles and doubles excitations and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) results is achieved for the adsorption of a single water molecule in a benchmark with two DFT‐functionals (Perdew/Burke/Ernzerhof (PBE), B3LYP) and Grimme's empirical dispersion and counterpoise corrections. We apply the same setting to graphene supported by epitaxial hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN), leading to an increased interaction energy. To further demonstrate the achievement of the empirical corrections, we model, entirely from first principles, the electronic properties of graphene and graphene supported by h‐BN covered with different amounts of water (one, 10 water molecules per cell and full coverage). The effect of h‐BN on these properties turns out to be negligibly small, making it a good candidate for a substrate to grow graphene on. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Adsorption of hydrogen molecules on the platinum-doped boron nitride nanotubes

Adsorption of hydrogen molecules on platinum-doped single-walled zigzag (8,0) boron nitride (BN) nanotube is investigated using the density-functional theory. The Pt atom tends to occupy the axial bridge site of the BN tube with the highest binding energy of -0.91 eV. Upon Pt doping, several occupied and unoccupied impurity states are induced, which reduces the band gap of the pristine BN nanotube. Upon hydrogen adsorption on Pt-doped BN nanotube, the first hydrogen molecule can be chemically adsorbed on the Pt-doped BN nanotube without crossing any energy barrier, whereas the second hydrogen molecule has to overcome a small energy barrier of 0.019 eV. At least up to two hydrogen molecules can be chemically adsorbed on a single Pt atom supported by the BN nanotube, with the average adsorption energy of -0.365 eV. Upon hydrogen adsorption on a Pt-dimer-doped BN nanotube, the formation of the Pt dimer not only weakens the interaction between the Pt cluster and the BN nanotube but also reduces the average adsorption energy of hydrogen molecules. These calculation results can be useful in the assessment of metal-doped BN nanotubes as potential hydrogen storage media.     

Selective adsorption of atomic hydrogen on a h-BN thin film

The adsorption of atomic hydrogen on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is studied using two element-specific spectroscopies, i.e., near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). B K-edge NEXAFS spectra show a clear change in the energy region of the π* band before and after reaction with atomic deuterium. On the other hand, N K-edge NEXAFS spectra show only a little change. B 1s XPS spectra show a distinct component at the low binding energy side of a main component, while N 1s XPS spectra show peak broadening at the high binding energy side. These experimental results are analyzed by the discrete variational Xα method with a core-hole effect and are explained by a model in which hydrogen atoms are preferentially adsorbed on the B sites of h-BN. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, we propose a site-selective property of BN material on adsorption of atomic hydrogen.     

A DFT Study for NH3 Adsorption on the GaN （0001） Surface

1 INTRODUCTION Recently, the reaction of NH3 with III-V com- pounds[1～5] has attracted much attention, especially for the wurtzite GaN, since NH3 is the predominant raw stuff for growing crystalline GaN by both of the most important growth techniques[6～9], i.e., organo- metallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) and molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Experimentally, Shekhar et al.[2] reported the chemisorption and reaction of hydrogen and ammonia on the single- crystalline GaN (0001…     

甲基、氨基和甲胺在清洁及C(N,O)改性的Mo(100)表面的吸附

采用广义梯度近似(GGA)的密度泛函理论(DFT), 并结合平板模型, 研究了甲基、氨基和甲胺在清洁及C(N, O)改性的Mo(100)面的吸附行为. 计算结果表明, 在较低覆盖度下(θ=1/6 ML(monolayer)), 吸附物种在不同表面上的稳定吸附位的吸附能变化不大; 而在较高覆盖度下(θ=1/4 ML), 其稳定的吸附位置可能发生变化, 且吸附能有了明显的区别. 它们在改性的Mo(100)表面吸附能较清洁表面小, 并且按C、N、O的顺序降低. 究其原因可归结为C、N、O性原子的存在使得金属表面的供电子能力减弱, 从而导致金属的d带中心的下移. 通过对金属Mo的d带性质的分析, 发现d带中心只能笼统地说明改性原子对于清洁表面的性质有一定的影响, 不能很好地体现C、N、O对于清洁表面性质影响的差异, 而dz2轨道的能量中心却能很好地反映出吸附物种在改性表面上的吸附能按C、N、O的顺序依次减小这一规律.     

First-principles study of interaction between H2 molecules and BN nanotubes with BN divacancies

The interaction between H(2) molecules and boron nitride (BN) single-walled nanotubes with BN divacancies is investigated with density-functional theory. Our calculations reveal that H(2) molecules adsorb physically outside defective BN nanotubes, and cannot enter into BN nanotubes through bare BN divacancies because the energy barrier is as high as 4.62 eV. After the defects are saturated by hydrogen atoms, the physisorption behavior of H(2) molecules is not changed, but the energy barrier of H(2) molecules entering into BN nanotubes through the defects is reduced to 0.58 eV. This phenomenon is ascribed to hydrogen saturation induced reduction of electrostatic potential around the defects.     

Defects-enhanced dissociation of H2 on boron nitride nanotubes

With the density-functional theory and nudged elastic band method, the adsorption and dissociation of the hydrogen molecule on the boron nitride (BN) nanotubes with and without defects are studied theoretically. Hydrogen molecule physically adsorbs on the surface of the BN layer and nanotubes. The dissociation of the hydrogen molecule on the surface of the perfect BN layer and nanotubes is endothermic, and the energy barrier reduces with the decrease of the diameter of the tubes, while it is still larger than 2.0 eV for the (7,0) BN nanotube. Antisite, carbon substitutional, vacancy, and Stone-Wales 5775 defects on the wall of the tube are considered. With the presence of the defects, the dissociation of the hydrogen molecule becomes exothermic and the dissociation barrier can be reduced to about 0.67 eV.     

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and first principles calculation of BCN nanotubes

Multiwalled boron carbonitride (BCN) nanotubes with two different structures were synthesized via thermal chemical vapor deposition; one has 10% C atoms homogeneously doped into BN nanotubes (B0.45C0.1N0.45 NTs), and the other has BN layers sheathed with 5-nm-thick C outerlayers (BN-C NTs). The electronic structures of the B, C, and N atoms were thoroughly probed by synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the X-ray absorption near-edge structure method. The B0.45C0.1N0.45 NTs contain a significant amount of B-C and C-N bonding with a pyridine-like structure (hole structure), which reduces the pi bonding states of the B and N atoms. From the XPS valence band spectrum, the band gap was estimated to be about 2.8 eV. In the BN-C NTs, the C and BN domains are separated without forming the pyridine-like structure. Using the first principles method, we investigated the relative stabilities and electronic structures of the various isomers of the double-walled (12,0)@(20,0) BCN NTs. The C-outerlayer BN nanotube structure is the most stable isomer, when there exist no defects in the tubes with B/N = 1.0 (i.e., graphite-like structure). In addition, a reasonable model, which is characterized by the motives consisted of three pyridine-like rings around a hollow site, is presented for the local structure of C atoms in the B0.45N0.45C0.1 NTs. A considerable decrease of the band gap due to the 10% C doping was predicted, which was consistent with the experimental results.     

Ab initio study of surface acid-base reactions. The case of molecular and dissociative adsorption of ammonia on the (011) surface of rutile TiO2

The interaction of ammonia molecules with Lewis acid centers (Ti4+ metal ions) of the (011) surface of rutile TiO2 is investigated by density functional theory in order to understand, from first principle, the nature of acid-base reactions on solid surfaces. Unlike the rutile (110) surface that contains alternating rows of 5-fold and 6-fold Ti atoms, all Ti atoms of the (011) surface are 5-fold coordinated. This surface has shown considerable activity for numerous chemical reactions and is thus an ideal prototype. At 1/2 monolayer coverage, with respect to surface Ti atoms, the adsorption energy is found to be equal to 100 kJ mol-1, and drops to 58 kJ mol-1 at one monolayer coverage. Analysis of the electronic density of states (DOS) revealed information regarding the mode of adsorption. In particular, the nitrogen 3a1 and 2a1 orbitals appear to undergo significant changes upon adsorption, in agreement with photoelectron spectroscopy studies. Dissociative adsorption was also investigated on the same surface. Both NH2(Tis) + H(Os) and NH(Tis) + 2H(Os) modes of dissociative adsorption, where s stands for surface, are found to be less stable than the molecular (non dissociated) adsorption.