5d过渡金属原子中心镶嵌Ag团簇M@Ag12（M=Hf-Hg）／h和Oh构型的密度泛函理论研究

采用相对论密度泛函理论方法对Ih和Oh构型M@Ag12（M=Hf～Hg）的几何和电子结构进行了系统的研究．研究表明，原子半径之和与团簇的电子结构共同决定了M-Ag键长的大小．M@Ag12的成键能来自中心原子的嵌入能和Ag12笼子的形变能．最高占据轨道为成键轨道的团簇比反键轨道的团簇的稳定性强．我们发现在此系列中，Ih构型不一定总比Oh构型稳定．Hf@Ag12，Ir@Ag12，Au@Ag12和Hg@Ag12的Oh构型比Ih构型稳定．     

Au12M (M=Na,Mg, Al,Si, P,S, Cl)团簇的结构、稳定性和电子性质

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法系统地研究了Au12M(M=Na,Mg,Al,Si,P,S,Cl)团簇的结构、稳定性和电子性质.对团簇的平均结合能、镶嵌能、垂直离化势、最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)和最低未占据分子轨道(LUMO)的能级差、电荷布居分析、自然键轨道(NBO)进行了计算和讨论.对于Au12M(M=Na,Mg,Al)团簇,它们形成了内含M原子的最稳定的笼状结构.然而对于Au12M(M=Si,P,S,Cl)团簇,它们却形成了以M元素为顶点的稳定锥形结构.在这些团簇中发现Au12S团簇相对是最稳定的,这是由于Au12S团簇形成了稳定的满壳层的电子结构.自然电荷布居分析表明:对于所有的Au12M(M=Na,Mg,Al,Si,P,S,Cl)团簇电荷总是从Au原子转向M原子.自然键轨道和HOMO分析表明Au12M团簇中发生了Au原子的s-d轨道和M原子的p轨道间的杂化现象.     

银硫二元团簇[Ag.(Ag~2S)~n]^+(n=3,4)的从头算研究

用abinitio分子轨道限制性Hartree-Fock(RHF)和密度泛函(DFT)方法对银硫二元团簇[Ag.(AgS)~n]^+(n=3,4)的结构进行研究.结果表明,具有环状结构的团簇最为稳定.得到了相应的几何构型和电子结构,并且对这两种团簇可为硫敏化中心自由电子深陷阱的存在形式作出合理解释。     

正二十面体Au13和Pt13团簇上肉桂醛的吸附

运用广义梯度近似(GGA)密度泛函理论的Perdew-Burke-Ernzerh (PBE)方法, 研究了肉桂醛在正二十面体Au₁₃和Pt₁₃团簇上的吸附行为. 通过分析不同吸附模式的吸附能和几何构型发现: 同一金属团簇, 顺式肉桂醛的吸附能强于反式肉桂醛的吸附能. 对于Au₁₃团簇, 肉桂醛的稳定吸附构型为C＝C和C＝O共吸附模型; 对于Pt₁₃团簇, 肉桂醛的稳定吸附构型为C＝O吸附. 比较二者发现, 肉桂醛在Pt₁₃团簇的吸附能力强于Au₁₃团簇.分析Au₁₃和Pt₁₃团簇上肉桂醛最稳定吸附构型的电子结构表明, 电子由肉桂醛原子的2s、2p轨道向金属表面转移, 同时金属部分电子反馈到肉桂醛的反键轨道, 最终肉桂醛稳定吸附于金属团簇. 此外, 肉桂醛在团簇模型上的吸附能大于其在平板模型上的吸附能.     

过渡金属团簇M20和M20(PMe3)4(M=Cu,Ag,Au)的量子化学理论研究

采用从头计算MP2和DFT理论方法,对过渡金属团簇M20和M20( PMe3)4(M=Cu,Ag,Au)的几何结构、电子结构以及团簇各组成部分之间的结合能进行了研究.所研究的体系具有较大的前线轨道能隙,与C60接近,显示出特别的稳定性.考虑电子相关效应的MP2方法能够对团簇的结构给予可靠的描述.离域泛函GGA对Cu和A...     

正、负和中性TiP10团簇结构与电子性质的密度泛函研究

采用密度泛函理论的B3LYP方法研究了正、负和中性TiP10团簇的几何构型和电子结构. 计算结果表明, 中性TiP10团簇的基态构型为金属夹心结构, 正、负离子团簇同样具有该基态稳定结构. 通过对基态稳定结构的分子轨道分析表明, δ键对形成夹心结构起到重要作用. 理论计算得到的中性TiP10团簇的垂直和绝热电离能分别为7.84和7.68 eV, 垂直和绝热电子亲和势分别为3.18和3.35 eV.     

钴硫团簇ConSn+-1(n=2,3)的结构和稳定性

用ab initio分子轨道方法(RHF,UHF)和密度泛函(DFT)方法研究了团簇Co2S+,Co3S2+的各种可能的几何构型和电子结构,并计算了相应的较稳定构型的振动光谱,发现Co2S+和Co3S2+团簇最稳定结构均具有C,对称性.对团簇的成键作用机理进行了理论分析.     

膦配体对金团簇[Au@Au8(PR3)8]3+(R=Me,OMe,H,F,Cl,CN)稳定化作用的理论研究

采用ab initio HF, MP2方法和密度泛函理论方法, 对具有D2h和D4d构型的膦配体稳定的过渡金属团簇[Au@Au8(PR3)8]3+(R=Me, OMe, H, F, Cl, CN)进行了几何结构、 电子结构及团簇稳定性等方面的研究. 计算表明, 与D2h构型相比, D4d构型更稳定, 两者能量相差约5~10 kJ/mol. SVWN局域泛函能够对团簇的几何结构给予较准确的描述, MP2方法对团簇的结构参数有所低估, 而离域和杂化泛函则过高地估计了团簇的结构参数. 电子结构分析表明, 中心Au原子与外围的Au原子之间通过 d 电子的成键作用构成团簇内核[Au@Au8]3+, [Au@Au8]3+与PR3配体则通过"σ给予/π反馈"模式成键. PR3配体与[Au@Au8]3+的结合能够加强内核-外围Au原子间的成键作用, 缩小外围Au原子在成键上的差异, 增大前线轨道能级间隙, 从而提高团簇的稳定性. PR3配体中R基团供、 吸电子能力的变化对[Au@Au8(PR3)8]3+结构影响较小, 但对[Au@Au8]3+-PR3结合能影响较大. 能量分析显示, 不同PR3配体与[Au@Au8]3+之间具有相近的轨道作用能, 与R基团供、 吸电子能力相关的非轨道作用能成为影响两者连接牢固程度的决定因素.     

第一原理对AlPm和AlPm-(m = 2～9)团簇结构与稳定性的研究

用密度泛函理论(DFT)的B3LYP方法,在6-311G*水平上对AlPm和AlPm(m = 2～9)团簇的几何构型,电子结构和振动频率等性质进行了理论研究,给出了一种以Pm团簇作为设计AlPm类结构的母体,考虑在不同位置上结合Al原子的结构,可以较快找到AlPm类团簇基态结构的方法. 通过对基态结构的第一离解能和能量二次差分讨论,得到m为奇数的AlPm团簇比m为偶数的稳定,对基态结构的HOMO-LUMO能隙和绝热电子亲合势的讨论表明,AlP3,AlP5和AlP7团簇结构较稳定.     

六核钽铑二元混合簇合物的几何和电子结构

采用密度泛函理论对六核钽、铑八面体纯簇及其混合簇的几何结构和电子性质进行了研究.计算结果表明:大部分钽铑混合簇稳定构型的对称性均较低,为C1或Cs点群,只有[Ta2Rh4Cl4H8(CN)6]4-团簇的稳定构型对称性较高,为C2h或C4v点群;混合簇的最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)与最低未占据分子轨道(LUMO)能隙(ΔEH-L)均较小,介于0.52-1.00eV之间;混合簇的前线轨道主要由骨架金属原子的d电子贡献,随着Rh原子替代Ta原子个数的递增,Ta—Rh键对混合簇稳定构型所起作用逐渐增加,Ta—Ta键所起作用减小,而Rh—Rh键为非键或反键性质.     

Evolution of the structural stability of large Cu,Ni, Pd,and Ag clusters with size: An analysis within the embedded atom method

A study of the structural stability of clusters made up of a single component has been carried out within the Embedded Atom Method. Perfect icosahedral and cuboctahedral Cu, Ni, Pd, and Ag clusters with up to 5083 atoms have been compared. The icosahedron is found to be the stable structure for small clusters, and a change of structure from icosahedral to cuboctahedral is found as the cluster size increases. A contraction of the interatomic distances results when the cluster size decreases.     

Continuation calculations of boron- (aluminum-, titanium-, and nickel-) doped La13 clusters

In this work, we have calculated boron-, aluminum-, titanium-, and nickel-doped La13 clusters by DMOL method based on the density-functional theory. Two doping modes are employed: surface and center doping. The boron, aluminum, and nickel atoms prefer to occupy the surface sites while the titanium atom prefers to occupy the center site. The doped La13 clusters with these four kinds of atoms have lower binding energy than pure La13 clusters. The icosahedral isomers are of lower binding energy than cubotahedral and decahedral isomers for La12B(-1), La12Al(-1), and La12Ni, while doping makes the cubotahedral La12Ti stable with a binding energy a little lower than icosahedral La12Ti. There are electronic shell effects in icosahedral La12B(-1) and La12Al(-1). The icosahedral La12B(-1) is promising to be formed during the doped process experimentally. Furthermore, we have also discussed the distorted structures of center doping by bond lengths, density of states, and charge transfers.     

Binding energy of large icosahedral and cuboctahedral Lennard-Jones clusters

It is widely believed that the lowest energy configurations for small rare gas clusters have icosahedral symmetry. This contrasts with the bulk crystal structures which have cuboctahedral fcc symmetry. It is of interest to understand the transition between this finite and bulk behavior. To model this transition in rare gas clusters we have undertaken optimization studies within the Lennard-Jones pair potential model. Using a combination of Monte Carlo and Partan Search optimization methods, the lowest energy relaxed structures of Lennard-Jones clusters having icosahedral and cuboctahedral symmetry were found. Studies were performed for complete shell clusters ranging in size from one shell having 13 atoms to 14 shells having 10,179 atoms. It was found that the icosahedral structures are lower in energy than the cuboctahedral structures for cluster sizes having 13 shells or fewer. Additional studies were performed using the more accurate Aziz-Chen [HFD-C] pair potential parameterized for argon. The conclusions appear to be relatively insensitive to the form of the potential.     

Geometrical and electronic structure of small copper nanoclusters: XANES and DFT analysis

The geometrical and electronic structure of small copper nanoclusters was studied by density functional theory (DFT) and analysis of X-ray absorption spectra. It was shown that the icosahedral geometry of small copper nanoclusters of 13 atoms was energetically more stable than cuboctahedral geometry. The binding energies in these structures were compared; the theoretical XANES spectra were compared with experiment. The paper gives the results of ab initio calculations of the electronic structure of copper clusters differing in size.     

Icosahedral gold cage clusters: M@Au12- (M=V, Nb, and Ta)

We report the observation and characterization of a series of stable bimetallic 18-valence-electron clusters containing a highly symmetric 12-atom icosahedral Au cage with an encapsulated central heteroatom of Group VB transition metals, M@Au(12) (-) (M=V,Nb,Ta). Electronic and structural properties of these clusters were probed by anion photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. Characteristics of the M@Au(12) (-) species include their remarkably high binding energies and relatively simple spectral features, which reflect their high symmetry and stability. The adiabatic electronic binding energies of M@Au(12) (-) were measured to be 3.70+/-0.03, 3.77+/-0.03, and 3.76+/-0.03 eV for M=V, Nb, and Ta, respectively. Comparison of density-functional calculations with experimental data established the highly symmetric icosahedral structures for the 18-electron cluster anions, which may be promising building blocks for cluster-assembled nanomaterials in the form of stoichiometric [M@Au(12) (-)]X(+) salts.     

Structure and energetic of Bn (n = 2–12) clusters: Electronic structure calculations

The electronic and geometric structures, total and binding energies, first and second energy differences, harmonic frequencies, point symmetries, and highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO–LUMO) gaps of small and neutral B_n (n = 2–12) clusters have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT), B3LYP with 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. Linear, planar, convex, quasi‐planar, three‐dimensional (3D) cage, and open‐cage structures have been found. None of the lowest energy structures and their isomers has an inner atom; i.e., all the atoms are positioned at the surface. Within this size range, the planar and quasi‐planar (convex) structures have the lowest energies. The first and the second energy differences are used to obtain the most stable sizes. A simple growth path is also discussed with the studied sizes and isomers. The results have been compared with previously available theoretical and experimental works. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Structural transitions and melting of copper clusters

Molecular dynamics is used to study the melting and structural transitions of small copper clusters. The melting temperature is found to be proportional to the average coordination number. Small icosahedral clusters melt at slightly higher temperatures than the cubic structures. Small cuboctahedral clusters are not stable but transform via a nondiffusive transition to icosahedral structure.     

Relative stability of icosahedral and cuboctahedral metallic nanoparticles

The size and form of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) significantly affects their adsorptive, chemical, and catalytic activity. One of the most interesting nanoscale size effects is the transition from icosahedral to octahedral forms with growth in the NP size. We compared the stability of icosahedral, decahedral and cuboctahedral NPs made from eight metals Ni, Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, and Au using the local optimization of total energy, which was computed from the tight-binding second moment approximation and quantum Sutton–Chen potentials. The obtained results predicted that the icosahedral form would be most stable for Ni, and least stable for Au. For Rh, and especially for Ir, a strong dependency of the stability of the different forms on the NP size was revealed.     

Trends in structural, electronic and energetic properties of bimetallic vanadium-gold clusters Au(n)V with n = 1-14

A systematic quantum chemical investigation on the electronic, geometric and energetic properties of Au(n)V clusters with n = 1-14 in both neutral and anionic states is performed using BP86/cc-pVTZ-PP calculations. Most clusters having an even number of electrons prefer a high spin state. For odd-electron systems, a quartet state is consistently favoured as the ground state up to Au(8)V. The larger sized Au(10)V, Au(12)V and Au(14)V prefer a doublet state. The clusters prefer 2D geometries up to Au(8)V involving a weak charge transfer. The larger systems bear 3D conformations with a more effective electron transfer from Au to V. The lowest-energy structure of a size Au(n)V is built upon the most stable form of Au(n-1)V. During the growth, V is endohedrally doped in order to maximize its coordination numbers and augment the charge transfer. Energetic properties, including the binding energies, embedding energies and second-order energy differences, show that the presence of a V atom enhances considerably the thermodynamic stability of odd-numbered gold clusters but reduces that of even-numbered systems. The atomic shape has an apparently more important effect on the clusters stability than the electronic structure. Especially, if both atomic shape and electronic condition are satisfied, the resulting cluster becomes particularly stable such as the anion Au(12)V(-), which can thus combine with the cation Au(+) to form a superatomic molecule of the type [Au(12)V]Au. Numerous lower-lying electronic states of these clusters are very close in energy, in such a way that DFT computations cannot clearly establish their ground electronic states. Calculated results demonstrate the existence of structural isomers with comparable energy content for several species including Au(9)V, Au(10)V, Au(13)V and Au(14)V.