The structure of {[Co(pht)(bpy)(H2O)]·3H2O}n (pht is phthalate and bpy is 4,4′‐bipyridine) and the role of solvent water clusters in structure stability

The Co^II cation in poly[[aqua(μ‐benzene‐1,2‐dicarboxylato‐κ³O¹,O²:O¹)(μ‐4,4′‐bipyridine‐κ²N:N′)cobalt(II)] trihydrate], {[Co(C₈H₄O₄)(C₁₀H₈N₂)(H₂O)]·3H₂O}_n, is octahedrally coordinated by two N atoms of two 4,4′‐bipyridine ligands, three O atoms from phthalate anions and a fourth O atom from a coordinated water molecule. The packing consists of planes of coordination polymers linked by hydrogen bonds mediated by three solvent water molecules; the linkage is achieved by the water molecules forming intricate oligomeric clusters which also involve the O atoms of the phthalate ligands.     

A theoretical study of the effects of transition metal dopants on the adsorption and dissociation of hydrogen on nickel clusters

The structure, stability, adsorption, and dissociation of H₂ on nickel clusters doped with late transition metals were investigated using density functional theory with the BP86 functional. Molecular hydrogen physisorption occurred at a vertex atom with a low coordination number. Charge transfer between clusters and the H₂ molecule stabilized the physisorption. The chemisorption of H₂ occurred at the bridge sites, without any structural or spin change of the clusters. Among the pentamer clusters, Cd, Zn, and Au had the lowest chemisorption energies, while Ir and Pt had higher chemisorption energies for hydrogen. The computed reaction energies and activation barriers for the dissociation mechanism showed that dopants such as Rh, Pd, Pt, and Au have endothermic reaction energies and low activation barriers. This facilitates the reversible adsorption/dissociation of the H₂ molecule on these metal‐doped clusters. The dopant atoms play a major role in modulating the physisorption, chemisorption, and dissociation mechanism of H₂ on nickel clusters. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Vacancy-solute complexes and their clusters in iron

In this contribution, several vacancy-solute complexes in iron are investigated theoretically from the viewpoint of positron annihilation. In particular, V-Si, V-P, V-Cr, V-Mn, V-Ni, V-Cu and V-Mo complexes are examined. In addition, nano-sized vacancy-Cu clusters in the Fe matrix are also studied. We concentrate on positron lifetimes and coincidence Doppler broadening profiles that bring complementary information about the studied complexes and their clusters. Positron calculations are carried out using the atomic superposition method employing realistic atomic configurations obtained recently using an ab initio pseudopotential method (vacancy-solute complexes) and Monte Carlo/molecular dynamics methods (vacancy-Cu clusters). The main aim of this study is to predict as to what extent such defects are detectable and differentiable using positron annihilation techniques. The results obtained are discussed in the context of experimental data available in the literature.     

气相中原子分子成簇动力学Ⅱ.碳簇形成动力学

在前文所提出的成簇动力学模型的基础上，对碳的成簇过程进行了模拟，结果表明碳簇的形成是一个任意加成的过程．随团簇尺寸增加，加成反应速度减慢．原子数目约为20－48的中等碳簇具有异常大的反应速率常数，显示了它们具有最多的碳簇边缘原子；可能为尚未封口的碗型结构．团簇形成过程中，还发生解离反应，其中小团簇的解离过程更为重要．在综合考虑各种因素之后，成功地模拟出了与实验结果一致的团簇分布．对不同反应常数的分析则揭示出团簇几何构型方面的特点．     

Eigenmodes of a compressible liquid drop

The eigenmodes of a non-viscous, compressible liquid drop are investigated. The spectrum is shown to be derivable from two Hermitian eigenvalue problems which are weakly coupled by a non-Hermitian operator. It is shown that both eigenvalue problems admit an asymptotic, lepto-dermous expansion. Their contribution to the entropy of the droplet therefore also allows for such an expansion.     

离子簇合物(N_2)~+Ne_n(n=1,2,3)的从头计算研究

利用Ｇａｕｓｉａｎ９４量子化学从头算程序，选择ＵＭＰ２／６－３１１Ｇ方法，对Ｎ＋２Ｎｅｎ（ｎ＝１，２，３）的离子簇合物进行了几何全优化，并通过频率分析确认了体系的稳定构型，得到了各稳定簇合物的离解能．用ＵＨＦ／６－３１１Ｇ方法，计算了Ｎ＋２离子在ｎ个氖原子（ｎ＝１，２，３）氛围中的转动势垒．计算表明：线性结构是Ｎ＋２Ｎｅｎ（ｎ＝１，２）的最稳定结构；与Ｎ＋２Ｈｅｎ比较，Ｎ＋２Ｎｅｎ的诱导电荷更大，束缚势阱更深，各向导性明显，Ｎ＋２没有在原子氛围中的自由这些计算与Ｍａｉｅｒ实验结果一致．     

Efficient global geometry optimization of clusters

The method of global geometry optimization of atomic and molecular clusters by evolutionary algorithms is briefly presented and reviewed. As an exemplary application of a parallelized implementation of such an algorithm, neutral pure water clusters are globally optimized. In contrast to previous studies, the sophisticated and quantitatively reliable TTM2-F potential is employed. Significant qualitative differences to the earlier results are found, implicating a breakdown of simple water models for water clusters of non-trivial size.     

Matrix embedded cobalt-carbon nano-cluster magnets: behavior as room temperature single domain magnets

A new type of Co-C nanoparticles is synthesized from CH₂Cl₂ solution of Co₄(CO)_{1 2} by heating up to 210 ^°C in a closed vessel. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) observation show that the particles are embedded in amorphous carbon and their average size is 12 nm. The radial structure function obtained from the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of the Co K-edge absorption of the Co-C nanoparticles provides a Co-C average distance of 2.08 Å and the Co-Co distances of 3.18 Å and 3.9 (±0.2) Å. The particles exhibit the magnetic hysteresis curve with a coercive force of 200 Oe at 20 K and 260 Oe at 300 K. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility measured under zero-field cooling and 10 Oe field cooling conditions exhibits the behavior characteristic of a set of single magnetic domain nanomagnets in an amorphous carbon matrix.     

Size dependence of freezing temperature and structure instability in simulated Lennard-Jones clusters

Liquid Lennard-Jones clusters of 14 different sizes from N=55 to 923 particles were cooled down to find their temperature of liquid-solid transition and the internal structure of the solidified clusters. The decrease of the cluster temperature was attained by a gradual change of the system temperature in Monte Carlo simulations. The liquid-to-solid transition was found by analysis of the specific heat as well as by detection of the structural units of face-centred cubic, hexagonal close-packed and decahedral type. It was observed that near the detected transition temperature the solid-like cluster structure is not always stable and fluctuates between solid and liquid states. The fluctuations of the state were observed frequently for small clusters with N ≤147, where the temporary solid structure is created by a large part of internal atoms. Manual inspection of cluster structural data and the 10%N condition for minimal number of atoms as centres of solid-like units enable detection of stable cluster solidification at freezing temperature. It was found that the freezing temperature of all clusters, with the exception of N=55, decreases linearly with N^-1/3. The extrapolated freezing temperature of the bulk LJ system is 13% lower than the experimental value of argon. After freezing, the solid phase remains but some atoms close to the cluster surface are not firmly included into the structure and oscillate mainly between solid structure and disordered one.     

Structural properties of diamond fine particles and clusters prepared by detonation and decomposition of TNT

The thermal parameter B for three different particle sizes of diamond samples (bulk powder 1–4 μm, fine particle 144–195 Å and cluster 55–61 Å) was determined by the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction method. The values of B were found to be in the range 0.50–0.70 Å² for particles in the size range 195–55 Å and 0.27 Å² for 1–4 μm. All of them are larger than that of diamond bulk. A clear size dependence of B, increasing with decreasing particle size, was found. By analysing X-ray diffraction data at several temperatures the magnitude of B was found to be due to B_S (static part) instead of B_T (dynamic part). The average B_S values obtained were 0.04 Å², 0.19 Å² and 0.27 Å² for bulk powder, fine particle and cluster samples respectively. Ultrahigh resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation confirmed the presence of strain, distortion, roughness and dislocation lines in many particles. TEM images of particles indicate that the clusters were not spherical in shape; they were mostly cubiform and some were truncated prism-like polyhedral. The present study reveals that the B_S component is responsible for the large B value in diamond fine particles and clusters. No clear surface local atomic distortion was found in the particles.