Characterizations of B and N heteroatoms as substitutional doping on structure,stability, and aromaticity of novel heterofullerenes evolved from the smallest fullerene cage C20: a density functional theory perspective

The structural stabilities and electronic properties of C₂₀ fullerene and some its incorporated boron and nitrogen derivatives are probed at B3LYP/AUG‐cc‐pVTZ level of theory. According to density functional theory results, the topology of inserted B or N heteroatoms in [20]‐fullerene perturbs strongly the stability, energy, geometry, charge, polarity, nucleus‐independent chemical shifts, aromaticity, and highest‐occupied molecular orbital and lowest‐unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO–LUMO) gap of the resulting heterofullerenes. Vibrational frequency (υ_min) calculations show that except N₁₀C₁₀, all other B_bN_nC_{20‐(b + n)} heterofullerenes with b, and n = 0, 4, 5, 8, and 10 are true minima. The calculated band gaps (?E_HOMO–LUMO) of B₈C₁₂, and N₈C₁₂ (2.86 eV), show them the most stable heterofullerenes against electronic excitations. While 10 B substituting in equatorial position increase the conductivity of B₁₀C₁₀ through decreasing its band gaps, 10 N doping in equatorial position enhance stability of N₁₀C₁₀ against electronic excitations via increasing its band gaps. High natural bond orbital and Mulliken charge transfer on the surfaces of B atoms, especially B₅N₅C₁₀with five B–N bonds in the equatorial position, provokes further investigation on its possible application for hydrogen storage. Nucleus‐independent chemical shift values show that B₅N₅C₁₀ is the most aromatic species. The calculated heat of atomization per carbon (ΔH_at/C) of B₈C₁₂ shows it the most thermodynamic stable heterofullerenes of each. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Density functional theory study of hydrogen storage on Ni-doped C59X (X = B,N) heterofullerene

ABSTRACT

Hydrogen storage reactions on Ni ? C₅₉X(X = B, N) heterofullerene are investigated by using the state-of-the-art density functional theory calculations. The Ni atom prefers to bind at the bridge site between two hexagonal rings, and can bind up to five hydrogen molecules with average adsorption energies of (?0.94, ?0.48, ?0.33, ?0.25 and ?0.20 eV) per hydrogen molecule for Ni ? C₅₉B, while (?1.20, ?0.60, ?0.41, ?0.28 and ?0.23 eV) per hydrogen molecule for Ni ? C₅₉N. With no metal clustering, the system gravimetric capacities are expected to be as large as 10.87 and 10.85 wt % for 5H₂NiC₅₉B?and 5H₂NiC₅₉N, respectively. While the desorption activation barriers of the complexes 1H₂ + C₅₉X?(X = B, N)?are outside the Department of Energy domain (?0.2 to ?0.6 eV), the desorption activation barriers of the complexes nH₂ + C₅₉X(X = B, N)(n = 2 ? 5) are inside this domain. The hydrogen storage of the irreversible 1H₂ + NiC₅₉X?(X = B, N) and reversible 2H₂ + NiC₅₉X?(X = B, N) interactions is characterised in terms of density of states and projected densities of states, pairwise and non-pairwise additivity, infrared, Raman, electrophilicity and molecular electrostatic potentials.     

Theoretical investigation on the encapsulation of atomic hydrogen into heterofullerene nanocages

We have investigated the structural and electronic configurations of the H@X-doped C₆₀ fullerene (X = B, Si, P, O, S) as the novel materials for quantum bit (qubit) application by using density functional theory with the generalized-gradient approximation. Our results show that incorporated hydrogen atom exhibits significantly different interaction strengths and the calculated binding energies follow the hierarchy H@C₅₉O < H@C₅₉Si < H@C₆₀ < H@C₅₉B < H@C₅₉S < H@C₅₉P. In the considered complexes the binding energy is negative and the incorporated ¹H atom resides at the center of heterofullerene nanocages. The obtained results also reveal that for the H@C₅₉P complex the binding energy is four times higher than that of the traditional H@C₆₀ fullerene, thus the H@C₅₉P seems to be a promising material for the solid state quantum computers. Furthermore, the electronic and magnetic structures of the considered complexes at their ground state are discussed within the context.     

High volumetric hydrogen density phases of magnesium borohydride at high-pressure: A first-principles study

The previously proposed theoretical and experimental structures,bond characterization,and compressibility of Mg(BH 4) 2 in a pressure range from 0 to 10 GPa are studied by ab initio density-functional calculations.It is found that the ambient pressure phases of meta-stable I4 1 /amd and unstable P-3m1 proposed recently are extra stable and cannot decompose under high pressure.Enthalpy calculation indicates that the ground state of F 222 structure proposed by Zhou et al.[2009 Phys.Rev.B 79 212102] will transfer to I4 1 /amd at 0.7 GPa,and then to a P-3m1 structure at 6.3 GPa.The experimental P 6 1 22 structure(α-phase) transfers to I4 1 /amd at 1.2 GPa.Furthermore,both I4 1 /amd and P-3m1 can exist as high volumetric hydrogen density phases at low pressure.Their theoretical volumetric hydrogen densities reach 146.351 g H 2 /L and 134.028 g H 2 /L at ambient pressure,respectively.The calculated phonon dispersion curve shows that the I4 1 /amd phase is dynamically stable in a pressure range from 0 to 4 GPa and the P-3m1 phase is stable at pressures higher than 1 GPa.So the I4 1 /amd phase may be synthesized under high pressure and retained to ambient pressure.Energy band structures show that they are both always ionic crystalline and insulating with a band-gap of about 5 eV in this pressure range.In addition,they each have an anisotropic compressibility.The c axis of these structures is easy to compress.Especially,the c axis and volume of P-3m1 phase are extraordinarily compressible,showing that compression along the c axis can increase the volumetric hydrogen content for both I4 1 /amd and P-3m1 structures.     

Si2CmN团簇的结构及稳定性的密度泛函理论研究

用密度泛函理论(DFT)的B3LYP/6-311G*方法,对Si2CmN(m=2-10)团簇的几何构型、振动频率和基态能量等性质进行了研究,讨论了化学键的特征和热力学稳定性。振动频率和振动强度被用来判断体系的基态结构。结果表明,m=2-10的团簇为线性结构,随着m的增大,团簇的自旋多重度均为2,Si原子在C与N原子形成的线性链端部成键,团簇的基态能量近似线性增大。m为偶数的Si2CmN团簇比m为奇数的更为稳定。     

A first-principles study on the adsorption behaviour of methanol and ethanol over C59B heterofullerene

In the present study, the adsorption behaviour of methanol (CH₃OH) and ethanol (C₂H₅OH) molecules over heterofullerene C₅₉B surface is studied by density functional theory calculations. This heterofullerene is obtained from C₆₀ by substituting a carbon atom with a boron atom and relaxing self-consistently the structure to the local minimum. The adsorption of CH₃OH and C₂H₅OH on the C₅₉B is exothermic and the relaxed geometries are stable. The CH₃OH and C₂H₅OH adsorption can also induce a change in the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gap of the nanocage. The dehydrogenation pathways of CH₃OH and C₂H₅OH via O–H and C–H bonds scission are also examined. The results indicate that O–H bond scission is the most favourable pathway on the C₅₉B surface.     

密度泛函理论研究SiCmN团簇

用密度泛函理论(DFT)的B3LYP/6-311G*方法,对SiCmN(m=1-7)团簇的几何构型、振动频率和基态能量等性质进行了研究,讨论了化学键的特征和热力学稳定性。振动频率和振动强度被用来判断体系的基态结构。结果表明,m=1~5的团簇为线状结构,m=6、7的团簇为环状结构。m增大过程中,线状团簇自旋多重度均为2,而环状团簇出现2、4和6自旋多重度。能量的二次差分值表明m为奇数的团簇比m为偶数的更为稳定。     

密度泛函理论研究SiCmN团簇

用密度泛函理论(DFT)的B3LYP/6-311G*方法,对SiCmN(m=1-7)团簇的几何构型、振动频率和基态能量等性质进行了研究,讨论了化学键的特征和热力学稳定性。振动频率和振动强度被用来判断体系的基态结构。结果表明,m=1~5的团簇为线状结构,m=6、7的团簇为环状结构。m增大过程中,线状团簇自旋多重度均为2,而环状团簇出现2、4和6自旋多重度。能量的二次差分值表明m为奇数的团簇比m为偶数的更为稳定。     

P‐Heterocyclic silylenes: a survey of stability with density functional theory

The effects of phosphorous atom on the stability, multiplicity, and reactivity of six‐member cyclic silylenes are investigated at B3LYP/AUG‐cc‐pVTZ//B3LYP/6‐31+G* and MP2/6‐311++G**//B3LYP/6‐31+G* coupled with appropriate isodesmic reactions. From a thermodynamic point of view, 1H‐2‐silaphosphinine‐2‐ylidene ( 1_a ) and 1H‐4‐silaphosphinine‐4‐ylidene ( 2_a ) are relatively the most stable with singlet–triplet energy gaps (ΔE_S–T) of 37.0 and 28.1 kcal/mol, respectively. The calculated energy barrier for the 1,2‐H shift of 1_a to the corresponding 2‐silapyridine ( 1 ) is 26.5 kcal/mol, which is lower than the 28.8 kcal/mol required for the 1,4‐H shift of 2_a to the corresponding 4‐silapyridine ( 2 ). In contrast to the previous reports, isodesmic reactions indicate that π‐donor/σ‐donor phosphorous destabilizes the singlet while stabilizes the triplet state. Both 1_a and 2_a silylenes appear invulnerable to the head‐to‐head as well as the head‐to‐tail dimerization, inviting experimental explorations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorption of mercaptopurine drug on the BN nanotube,nanosheet and nanocluster: a density functional theory study

ABSTRACT

We have investigated the interaction of mercaptopurine (MP) drug with BN nanotube, nanosheet and nanocluster using density functional theory calculations in the gas phase, and aqueous solution. We predicted that the MP drug tends to be physically adsorbed on the surface of BN nanosheet with an adsorption energy (E_ad) about ?3.2?kcal/mol. The electronic properties of BN nanosheet are not affected by the MP drug, and this sheet is not a sensor. But the electronic properties of BN nanotube and nanocluster are significantly sensitive to this drug in both gas phase, and aqueous solution. The BN nanocluster suffers from a long recovery time (8.8?×?10⁸?s) because of a strong interaction (E_ad?=??28.6?kcal/mol), and this cluster is not a proper sensor for MP detection. But the BN nanotube benefits from a short recovery time about 49.5?s at room temperature, and may be a promising candidate for application in the MP sensors. The water solvent decreases the strength of interaction between the BN nanotube, and MP drug, but it does not affect the electronic sensitivity of the nanotube sensibly.     

Hydrogen-abstraction reactions of fully hydrogenated fullerene cages with the amino radical: a density functional study

We have applied density functional theory calculations to study the reactions of NH₂ + C_nH_n (n = 20, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80). Due to the hard curvature in C₂₀ cage, the NH₂? + C₂₀H₂₀ → NH₃ + C₂₀H₁₉? reaction is nearly thermoneutral with a high potential barrier height. For the C_nH_n fulleranes with n > 20 the transition states appear earlier on the reaction paths, as can be anticipated for exothermic reactions. Using the spherical excess parameter, we distinguished different curvatures on the surfaces of fullerane cages. The reaction enthalpies ΔH°₂₉₈ and potential barrier heights ΔE^TS of the considered reactions indicate good correlation with the values of ?_i parameter, showing an upward trend with the curvature increasing at carbon sites. We have also investigated the H-abstraction of the chemical derivatives of the C₂₀H₂₀ cage (C₂₀H₁₉–CH₃, C₂₀H₁₉–CH₂CH₃ and C₂₀H₁₉–CH₂CH₂CH₃) in comparison to the corresponding isolated alkanes (CH₄, C₂H₆ and C₃H₈). Overall, it could be inferred that the H-abstraction from the primary and secondary C–H bonds of isolated alkanes could occur more easily than fullarane derivatives.     

基于密度泛函理论的SinCN团簇结构及稳定性的研究

利用密度泛函理论(DFT)中的B3LYP/6-311G*方法,对SinCN(n=2-6)团簇的几何结构、振动频率和基态能量等性质进行了研究,分别讨论了其基态和亚稳态结构的能量及自旋多重态。振动频率和振动强度被用来判断体系的稳定性。结果表明,随着Si原子数的增加,零点振动能、热容量和熵近似线性增长,其平均增幅分别为0.80 kcal/mol、5.20 cal/mol•K和12.72 cal/mol•K。n为偶数的SinCN团簇比m为奇数的更为稳定。     

Electrocyclic [1,5] hydrogen shift in the thermal elimination kinetics of phenyl acetate and p-tolyl acetate in the gas phase: a density functional theory study

The kinetics and mechanisms of thermal decomposition of phenyl acetate and p-tolyl acetate in the gas phase were studied by means of electronic structure calculations using density functional theory methods: B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p), B3PW91/6-31G(d,p), B3PW91/6-31++G(d,p), MPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p), MPW1PW91/6-31++G(d,p), PBE/6-31G(d,p) and PBE/6-31++G(d,p). Two possible mechanisms have been considered: mechanism A is a stepwise process involving electrocyclic [1,5] hydrogen shift to eliminate ketene through concerted six-membered cyclic transition-state structure, followed by tautomerisation of cyclohexadienone or by 4-methyl cyclohexadienone intermediate to give the corresponding phenol. Mechanism B is a one-step concerted [1,3] hydrogen shift through a four-membered cyclic transition-state geometry, to produce ketene and phenol or p-cresol. Theoretical calculations showed reasonable agreement with experimental activation parameters when using the Perdew, Burke and Ernserhof (PBE)functional, through the stepwise [1,5] hydrogen-shift mechanism. For mechanism B, large deviation for the entropy of activation was observed. No experimental data were available for p-tolyl acetate; however, theoretical calculations showed similar results to phenyl acetate, thus supporting the stepwise mechanism for both phenyl acetate and p-tolyl acetate.     

Substituent effects on cyclonona‐3,5,7‐trienylidenes: a quest for stable carbenes at density functional theory level

Nine boat‐shaped cyclonona‐3,5,7‐trienylidenes are compared and contrasted with respect to their multiplicity, nucleophilicity, electrophilicity, band gap (ΔE_{HOMO ? LUMO}), Natural bond orbital (NBO) atomic charge, force constant, as well as the aptitude for dimerization, and rearrangement through proper isodesmic reactions at B3LYP/AUG‐cc‐pVTZ and B3LYP/6‐311++G**//B3LYP/6‐31+G* levels of theory. The nine cyclic carbenes include unsubstituted (1_CH2) plus eight α‐cyclopropylcyclonona‐3,5,7‐trienylidenes, which are substituted with ?‐SiMe₂, ?‐NMe, ?‐PMe, ?‐O, ?‐S, ?‐CH₂, ?‐cyclopropyl, and ?‐CMe₂ (2_SiMe2, 2_NMe, 2_PMe, 2_O, 2_S, 2_CH2, 2_cyclopropyl, and 2_CMe2, respectively). The latter eight species enjoy the stabilizing interaction of the occupied Walsh orbital of cyclopropyl with the vacant p_π orbital of the carbene center (Walsh_cyclopropyl → p_{π carbene}). Among them, the singlet closed shell 2_NMe appears the most promising for exhibiting the highest relative singlet–triplet energy gap (ΔE_{s ? t} = 27.1 kcal mol^?1). In contrast, the least stable derivative is triplet 2_SiMe2, which exhibits the lowest relative ΔE_{s ? t} of ?5.5 kcal mol^?1. The overall trend of ΔE_s‐t is 2_NMe > 2_PMe > 2_S > 2_O > 2_cyclopropyl > 2_CMe2 > 2_CH2 > 1_CH2 > 2_SiMe2. With one negative force constant, the unsubstituted 1_CH2 turns out to be a transition state, whereas the rest emerge as minima. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DFT study of hydrogen storage in Pd-decorated C60 fullerene

Hydrogen storage reactions on Pd-doped C₆₀ fullerene are investigated by using the state-of-the-art density functional theory calculations. The Pd atom prefers to bind at the bridge site between two hexagonal rings, and can bind up to four hydrogen molecules with average adsorption energies of 0.61, 0.45, 0.32, and 0.21 eV per hydrogen molecule. With no metal clustering, the system gravimetric capacities are expected to be as large as 5.8 wt%. While the desorption activation barriers of the complexes nH₂ + Pd–C₆₀ with n = 1 are outside the department of energy (DOE) domain (?0.2 to ?0.6 eV), the desorption activation barriers of the complexes nH₂ + Pd–C₆₀ with n = 2–4 are inside this domain. While the interaction of 1H₂ with Pd + C₆₀ is irreversible at 459 K, the interaction of 2H₂ with Pd + C₆₀ is reversible at 529 K. The hydrogen storage of the irreversible 1H₂ + Pd–C₆₀ and reversible 2H₂ + Pd–C₆₀ interactions are characterised in terms of densities of states, infrared, Raman, and proton magnetic resonance spectra, electrophilicity, and statistical thermodynamic stability.     

Adsorption of NH3 and NO2 molecules on C48B6N6 heterofullerene: A DFT study on electronic properties

Adsorption of NH₃ and NO₂ molecules on the external surface of C₄₈B₆N₆ heterofullerene is investigated using DFT method. Attachment of NH₃ and NO₂ on C₄₈B₆N₆ heterofullerenes are compared with the bare C₄₈B₆N₆ model optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G^? level. The high surface binding energies indicates that ammonia undergoes chemical adsorption and could be compatible with the long recovery time but C₄₈B₆N₆ should be good NO₂ sensors with quick response as well as short recovery time. Total (TDOS) and partial (PDOS) density of state calculations is also considered to elucidate the difference in the NH₃ and NO₂ gas detection mechanism of C₄₈B₆N₆. The overlap population density of state (OPDOS) indicated that the chemical adsorption is due to the overlap of atomic orbitals below the Fermi level. The calculated results suggest that the C₄₈B₆N₆ heterofullerene is a suitable sensor material for NO₂ and is an ideal material for elimination and filtering of ammonia.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of single 3d-transition metals adsorbed on anthracene: a relativistic density functional theory study

Within the framework of relativistic density functional theory in the regime of generalised gradient approximation, we have obtained magnetic properties of single 3d-transition metal atoms (from Sc to Ni) adsorbed on anthracene molecule. Binding energies, local spin and orbital magnetic moments, and magnetic anisotropy energies were determined. Our calculations show that all 3d-transition metal atoms bind to anthracene molecule in the presence of spin–orbit coupling. We have found these complexes are spin-polarised and soft magnet.     

Hydrogen storage in BC3 composite single-walled nanotube:a combined density functional theory and Monte Carlo investigation

This paper applies a density functional theory(DFT) and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations(GCMC) to investigate the physisorptions of molecular hydrogen in single-walled BC 3 nanotubes and carbon nanotubes.The DFT calculations may provide useful information about the nature of hydrogen adsorption and physisorption energies in selected adsorption sites of these two nanotubes.Furthermore,the GCMC simulations can reproduce their storage capacity by calculating the weight percentage of the adsorbed molecular hydrogen under different conditions.The present results have shown that with both computational methods,the hydrogen storage capacity of BC 3 nanotubes is superior to that of carbon nanotubes.The reasons causing different behaviour of hydrogen storage in these two nanotubes are explained by using their contour plots of electron density and charge-density difference.     

Hydrogen and deuterium adsorption on uranium decorated graphene nanosheets: A combined molecular dynamics and density functional theory study

In this study, the combined density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods were carried out to investigate the potential capability of uranium-decorated graphene (U–G) for the separation of deuterium from hydrogen gases. Graphene with hexagonal honeycomb lattice arrangement is suitable for adsorption of individual uranium atoms, with a high binding energy (?1.173 eV) and U-U distance longer than 7 Å. This U-G system has ability to hold up to six H₂ (5.16% wt) or seven D₂ (11.75% wt) molecules per U atoms. To gain further insights into these interactions, partial electronic density of states (PDOS) and the electron density distribution of the elements were analyzed. The MD results are in reasonable agreement with the results obtained by DFT method. Our calculated results indicate that at room temperature, D₂ molecule has higher affinity for U-G system than the H₂ molecule. In order to increase the D₂ separation factor from H₂, the effect of temperature was studied. The results indicated that adsorption ratio of D₂ to H₂ increases by decreasing the temperature.