硼氮掺杂的碳纳米管对硫化氢气敏性能的理论研究

应用密度泛函理论研究了纯(8, 0)单壁碳纳米管(SWCNT)和B原子、N原子以及BN原子对掺杂的(8, 0) SWCNTs对硫化氢气体分子的传感性质. 计算结果表明, 与纯碳纳米管相比, B原子掺杂的SWCNT显示了对H₂S分子的敏感性, 其几何结构和电子性质在吸附H₂S分子后发生了显著变化; 而N原子和BN原子对的掺杂没有改善SWCNT对H₂S分子的吸附性能, 因此我们建议B原子掺杂的SWCNT作为检测H₂S分子的新型气相传感器.     

Ab initio simulations of doped single-walled carbon nanotube sensors

The interactions between oxygen and nitrogen atoms with single-walled carbon nanotubes were investigated for nanotubes with two different geometrical configurations using first-principle calculations within the framework of the density functional theory. We introduced a new type of toxic gas sensor that can detect the presence of H₂, Cl₂, CO, and NO molecules. We also demonstrated that the sensitivity of this device can be controlled by the concentration of the dopants on the surface of the nanotube. In addition, the transport properties of the doped nanotube were studied for different concentrations of oxygen or nitrogen atoms that were randomly distributed on the surface of the single-walled carbon nanotube. We observed that small amounts of dopants can modify the electronic and transport properties of the nanotube and can lend metallic properties to the nanotube. Band-gap narrowing occurs when the nanotube is doped with either oxygen or nitrogen atoms.     

Ab initio study of Pd-decorated single-walled carbon nanotube with C-vacancy as CO sensor

In this paper, the adsorption of CO onto Pd-decorated (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotube (Pd/SWCNT) and Pd-doped (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotube (Pd/SWCNT-V) has been investigated using ab initio studies. The larger binding energies and charges transfer show that the adsorption of CO onto Pd/SWCNT is more stable than that of CO onto Pd/SWCNT-V. The Pd/SWCNT can be utilized as good sensors for CO molecules due to strong binding energy and large electron charge transfer between the Pd/SWCNT and this molecule. Furthermore, the topological properties of the electron density distributions for intramolecular interactions have been analyzed in terms of the Bader theory of atoms in molecules. Finally, the natural population analysis method has been used to evaluate the Pd–C and Pd/CO interactions.     

Effect of impurity on electronic properties of carbon nanotubes

We have studied the effect of impurity on electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes using Density Functional Theory. Electronic band structures and density of states of (4, 4) and (7, 0) carbon nanotubes in the presence of different amount of B and N impurities were calculated. It was found that these impurities have significant effect on the conductivity of carbon nanotubes. The metallic (4, 4) nanotube remains to be metallic after doping with B and N. The electronic properties of small gap semiconducting (7, 0) tube can extensively change in the presence of impurity. Our results indicate that B-doped and N-doped (7, 0) carbon nanotubes can be p-type and n-type semiconductors, respectively.     

Using ONIOM calculations to investigate the abilities of simple and nitrogen,boron, sulfur-doped carbon nanotubes in sensing of carbon monoxide

In this work, geometries, stabilities, and electronic properties of the carbon monoxide (CO) molecule as an adsorbent in a simple carbon nanotube (CNT) and nitrogen (N), boron (B), sulfur (S)-doped CNTs (NCNT, BCNT, and SCNT) with parallel and perpendicular configurations are fully considered using ONIOM, natural bond orbital, and quantum theory of atom in molecule (QTAIM) calculations. The adsorption energies (E_ad) demonstrate that a CO molecule could be adsorbed on the surface of the simple CNT with parallel configuration and N-doped CNT with perpendicular configuration in an exothermic process. QTAIM calculations showed the close-shell (noncovalent) interactions between the CO molecule and CNT or N, B, S-doped CNTs. In addition, the energy gap (E_g) values between the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital are calculated. In accordance with the results of energy gap, simple and N-doped CNTs could be used as CO sensors.     

Co-adsorption of CO molecules at the open ends of MgO nanotubes

Equilibrium geometries, stabilities, and electronic properties of the adsorption of a CO molecule along with two or three CO co-adsorptions at the open ends of MgO nanotubes have been investigated through density functional calculations. It was found that the interaction of CO molecule with ends of the tube is much stronger than that of with its exterior surface. It was also found that adsorption of the second CO molecule at the end of the tube is independent of the first adsorbed CO molecule, while the prior adsorption process impacts the third adsorption. This phenomenon was described based on the frontier molecular orbital analysis, showing that the third CO molecule has to interact with high energetic unoccupied orbitals instead of the LUMO. Furthermore, it was revealed that similar to CO adsorption on the exterior surface of the tube, the adsorption at its open ends is electronically harmless.     

Theoretical investigation of formation mechanism of bipyridyl molecule on Ni(111) surface: implication for synthesis of N-doped graphene from pyridine

The formation mechanism of bipyridyl molecule catalyzed by nickel catalyst with pyridine precursor has been studied using density functional theory calculations. The formation of bipyridyl on Ni(111) surface from two pyridine molecules is considered as the initial process of N-doped graphene growth, and the minimum energy pathway for the formation has been investigated in detail. The whole formation processes mainly includes three steps, i.e., the dehydrogenation of the first pyridine, adsorption and dehydrogenation of the second pyridine, and formation of the bipyridyl molecule. It is found that the C-H bond of pyridine could be selectively dissociated while the C-C and C-N bond connections are retained during the catalytic processes. The N-doped graphene formed by pyridine only contains pyridine-like nitrogen atoms, suggesting a possible way to produce N-doped graphene with pure pyridine-like nitrogen atoms. The comparison of formation mechanisms between bipyridyl and biphenyl molecules was carried out, and the results imply a lower temperature process for synthesis of N-doped graphene from pyridine than that for graphene from benzene.     

Adsorption of Fe（CO）4 on the Sidewall of Boron Nitride Nanotubes： A Periodic DFT Study

The adsorption of Fe（CO）4 on various types of boron nitride nanotubes （BNNTs） areinvestigated by employing density functional theory. Our results indicate that Fe（CO）4 prefers to adsorb on the top of nitrogen atom via Fe atom, and the electronic property analysis indicates that the adsorption of Fe（CO）4 can reduce the band-gap of BNNTs.     

Field emission properties of N-doped capped single-walled carbon nanotubes: a first-principles density-functional study

The geometrical structures and field emission properties of pristine and N-doped capped (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotubes have been investigated using first-principles density-functional theory. The structures of N-doped carbon nanotubes are stable under field emission conditions. The calculated work function of N-doped carbon nanotube decreases drastically when compared with pristine carbon nanotube, which means the enhancement of field emission properties. The ionization potentials of N-doped carbon nanotubes are also reduced significantly. The authors analyze the field emission mechanism in terms of energy gap between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital and the highest occupied molecular orbital, Mulliken charge population, and local density of states. Due to the doping of nitrogen atom, the local density of states at the Fermi level increases dramatically and donor states can be observed above the Fermi level. The authors' results suggest that the field emission properties of carbon nanotubes can be enhanced by the doping of nitrogen atom, which are consistent with the experimental results.     

NH3在硼纳米管表面吸附的密度泛函理论研究

利用密度泛函理论研究了NH₃在完整和含有缺陷的硼纳米管上的吸附行为以及相关电子性质. 计算结果表明, 对于α硼纳米管, 在不同的直径和手性条件下, NH₃均倾向于吸附在配位数为6的顶位上. 电子结构计算结果表明, NH₃能够吸附在纳米管表面主要是由于N和B原子产生了较强的相互作用. 表明硼纳米管是一种潜在的NH₃气气敏材料.     

Dispersion-corrected DFT study on the carbon monoxide sensing by B<Subscript>2</Subscript>C nanotubes: effects of dopant and interferences

Electrical sensitivity of a boron carbon nanotube (B₂CNT) was examined toward carbon monoxide (CO) molecule by using dispersion-corrected density functional theory calculations. It was found that CO is weakly adsorbed on the tube, releasing energy of 3.5–4.1 kcal/mol, and electronic properties of the tube are not significantly changed. To overcome this problem, boron and carbon atoms of the tube were substituted by aluminum and silicon atoms, respectively. Although both Al and Si doping make the tube more reactive and sensitive to CO, Si doping seems to be a better strategy to manufacture CO chemical sensors due to the higher sensitivity without deformation of nanotube structure after adsorption procedure. Moreover, it was shown that some interference molecules such as H₂O, H₂S and NH₃ cannot significantly change the electronic properties of B₂CNT. Therefore, the Si-doped tube might convert the presence of CO molecules to electrical signal.     

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.     

Hydrogen adsorption on Ce/SWCNT systems: a DFT study

The adsorption of H(2) on Ce doped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene are investigated by using density functional theory. For both systems, it is found that Ce preferentially occupies the hollow site on the outside. The results indicate that Ce/SWCNT system is a good candidate for hydrogen storage where six H(2) per Ce can be adsorbed and 5.14 wt% H(2) can be stored in the Ce(3)/SWCNT system. Among metal-doped SWCNTs, Ce exhibits the most favorable hydrogen adsorption characteristics in terms of the adsorption energy and the uptake capacity. The hybridization of the Ce-4f and Ce-5d orbitals with the H orbital contributes to the H(2) binding where Ce-4f electrons participate in the hybridization due to the instability of the 4f state. The interaction between H(2) and Ce/SWCNT is balanced by the electronic hybridization and electrostatic interactions. Curvature of SWCNT changes the size of the binding energy of Ce and C and the adsorption energy of H(2) on Ce.     

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.     

A theoretical study of CO adsorption on aluminum nitride nanotubes

Adsorption of toxic CO molecule on single-walled aluminum nitride nanotubes (AlNNTs) was investigated using density functional theory calculations. A detailed analysis of the energetic, geometry, and electronic structure of various CO adsorptions on the tube exterior surface was performed. In contrast to carbon and BN nanotubes, our results indicated that AlNNTs can strongly interact with CO molecules. The adsorption energy of the most stable configuration was calculated to be about −0.25 eV. The Morokuma–Kitaura decomposition for molecular interaction energies was used to investigate the nature of C–Al bond in the most stable CO–AlNNT complex, demonstrating that electrostatic forces and polarization term are basic factors of attractive interaction between CO and AlNNT. They provide 37.9 and 40.4% of attractive interaction and charge transfer energies make a little contribution to the adsorption energy of CO.     

DFT Theoretical Calculation of the Site Selectivity of Dihydroxylated (5, 0) Zigzag Carbon Nanotube

Functionalization is an important method to change electrical and thermodynamic properties of carbon nanotubes. In this study, the effect of functionalization of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) was investigated with the aid of density functional theory. For this case, a (5, 0) zigzag SWCNT model containing 60 C atoms with 10 hydrogen atoms added to the dangling bonds of the perimeter carbons was used. To model hydroxyl CNT two terminal H atoms were replaced by two –OH groups. All the functionalized CNTs are thermodynamically more stable and have higher dipole moment with respect to the pristine CNT. Depending on the positions of hydroxyl groups on CNT five isomers of C₆₀H₈(OH)₂ were obtained. The structure of these five isomers and molecular properties such as the HOMO–LUMO gaps, the dipole moments, and the density of state were calculated. Our results indicate that the HOMO–LUMO gap strongly depends on the placement of the hydroxyl groups on the nanotubes. The isomers were hydroxyl groups locate on the anti-position show the highest distortions in the structure of the CNT.

     

Structure and dynamics of CO overlayers on a hydroxylated metal oxide: the polar ZnO(0001) surface

The adsorption and desorption of CO on the hydroxylated, O-terminated polar ZnO(0001) surface has been studied using He-atom scattering. The experimental results reveal the formation of a physisorbed ordered CO overlayer. In addition to recording angular distributions of elastically scattered He atoms, also the dynamical properties of the CO overlayer have been investigated using inelastic He-atom scattering. With the aid of electronic structure calculations a loss peak with an energy transfer of 7.2 meV is assigned to the frustrated translation of the CO molecule normal to the surface.     

Functionalization of carbon nanotubes via nitrogen glow discharge

We have exposed single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to microwave-generated N2 plasma with the aim to functionalize the nanotubes. The results strongly depend on the distance between the discharge source and the sample, since nitrogen atoms generated can be lost due to recombination. No functionalization was observed when this distance was 7.0 cm. At intermediate distances (2.5 cm), the incorporation of nitrogen and oxygen onto the SWCNT was observed, while, at short distances (1 cm), products containing CN were also observed.