Structural characterization of a (krypton-methane) film adsorbed on (0001) graphite

Krypton-methane films adsorbed on (0001) graphite have been studied by neutron diffraction, between 45 and 98 K. A two-dimensional solid solution has been observed. Its melting temperature has been determined for two compositions of the layer. The melting appears to be a first-order phase transition.     

Potassium adsorption on graphite(0001)

Potassium adsorption on graphite has been studied with emphasis on the two-dimensional K adlayer below one monolayer. Data are presented for the work function versus coverage, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) vibrational spectra of K-adlayers, low energy electron diffraction and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) spectra at different coverages. The data provide information regarding the vibrational properties of the K-adlayer, the metallization of the adlayer at submonolayer coverages, and the charge transfer from the K adatoms to the graphite substrate. Analysis of the work function, HREELS, and UPS data provides a qualitatively consistent picture of the charge state of the K adatoms, where at low coverages, below a critical coverage θ_c (θ_c=0.2–0.3), the K adatoms are dispersed and (partially) ionized, whereas at θ>θ_c islands of a metallic 2×2 K phase develops that coexist with the dispersed a K adatoms up to θ=1. We show that it is possible to understand the variation of the work function data based on a two-phase model without invoking a depolarization mechanism of adjacent dipoles, as is normally done for alkali-metal adsorption on metal surfaces. Similarly, the intensity variation as a function of coverage of the energy loss peak at 17 meV observed in HREELS, and the photoemission peak at E_b=0.5 eV seen in UPS can be understood from a two-phase model. A tentative explanation is presented that connects apparent discrepancies in the literature concerning the electronic structure of the K adlayer. In particular, a new assignment of the K-induced states near the Fermi level is proposed.     

Two-dimensional phase transition in xenon submonolayer films adsorbed on (0001) graphite

Ultra high vacuum molecular beam techniques coupled with LEED and Auger electron spectroscopy are particularly well suited to the study of surface chemical reactions because of the ability to assess the effect of the surface conditions on the reaction probability. Investigation of the hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction on a series of low and high Miller index platinum single crystals has indicated that the steps present on the high index surfaces are necessary for the dissociation and subsequent recombination of hydrogen. We have undertaken a systematic study of a series of small molecule reactions on these stepped surfaces to determine the reaction probability on stepped platinum surfaces. Reactions involving dissociation of Ha₂, D₂, O₂, OH, NH, and CH bonds proceed on the stepped surfaces with much higher reaction probabilities than reactions requiring dissociation of N₂, or CO bonds. All of the reactions studied resulted in cosine product angular distributions except for the formation of CO₂, which exhibited a distribution more peaked at the normal to the surface.     

Methane adsorption on graphite（0001） films： A first-principles study

Using first-principles methods, we have systematically investigated the electronic density of states, work function, and adsorption energy of the methane molecule adsorbed on graphite(0001) films. The surface energy and the interlayer relaxation of the clean graphite(0001) as a function of the thickness of the film were also studied. The results show that the interlayer relaxation is small due to the weak interaction between the neighboring layers. The one-fold top site is found most favourable on substrate for methane with the adsorption energy of 133 meV. For the adsorption with different adsorption heights above the graphite film with four layers, the methane is found to prefer to appear at about 3.21 A above the graphite. We also noted that the adsorption energy does not dependent much on the thickness of the graphite films. The work function is enhanced slightly by adsorption of methane due to the slight charge transfer from the graphite surface to the methane molecule.     

Dynamic scanning force microscopy at low temperatures on a van der Waals surface: graphite (0001)

The (0001) surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite is studied by scanning force microscopy in both contact and dynamic mode. Low temperatures were necessary for the dynamic mode measurements in order to achieve the required signal to noise ratio. At 22 K, atomic scale structures with 2.46 Å periodicity and trigonal symmetry of the individual maxima were obtained in both modes. Since graphite exhibits a van der Waals surface in good approximation, this result shows that comparatively weak forces of van der Waals type are sufficient for successful imaging in the dynamic mode on the atomic scale. However, since the positions of the observed maxima correspond to the ones found by scanning tunneling microscopy and contact scanning force microscopy, but not to the positions of the carbon atoms, it also opens new questions on the imaging mechanism in the dynamic mode.     

Comments on the dynamical properties of iron pentacarbonyl,Fe(CO)5, adsorbed on (0001) graphite

A fraction of a monolayer of Fe(CO)₅ was deposited on a clean Papyex stack following an adsorption vapor pressure isotherm. Mössbauer spectra for k_γ parallel and perpendicular to the film surface yield evidence of a first-order phase transition at T ～- K. The asymmetry of the spectrum suggests a possible average list of the molecular axis of ~50° to the surface normal.     

Adsorption and thermodynamic studies of Cu(II) and Zn(II) on organofunctionalized-kaolinite

Kaolinite-bearing clay samples from Perus, São Paulo state, Brazil, were used for chemical modification process with dimethyl sulfoxide and organofunctionalized with the silyating agent (RO)₃Si(CH₂)₃NH(CH₂)₂NH₂ in the present study. The resulting material and natural kaolinite were subjected adsorpion process with Cu(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solution at pH 6.0 and controlated temperature of 298 K. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm model has been applied to fit the experimental data. The results showed that the chemical modification process increases the basal spacing of the natural kaolinite from 0.711 to 0.955 nm. The energetic effects caused by Cu(II) and Zn(II) interactions were determined through calorimetric titration at the solid–liquid interface and gave a net thermal effect that enabled the calculation of the exothermic values and the equilibrium constant.     

Phase transitions in physisorbed films on cadmium (0001): comparison with graphite (0001)

Physical adsorption of simple molecules has been studied experimentally on cadmium (0001). Adsorption isotherms of Kr and CF₄ at 77.3 K show a first-order phase transition in the first layer, characteristic of adsorption on uniform substrates.

The nature of the phase transition on cadmium (0001) in the first layer is investigated for Kr and CF₄ by a thermodynamic approach in comparison with results obtained earlier on graphite (0001).

From the comparison between the two uniform substrates, we show that (1) cadmium (0001) has a less attractive force field than graphite (0001); and (2) like graphite (0001), cadmium (0001) is a very uniform surface suitable for studying two-dimensional phases according to the Gibbsian formulation.     

The comparative study of two dimensional condensation of Xe and Kr physisorbed on Ag(1 1 1) and Ag(1 0 0)

Adsorption isobars of Xe and Kr on Ag(1 1 1) and Ag(1 0 0) were observed simultaneously by an extremely-low-current low energy electron diffraction and an ellipsometry in the temperature range between 60 K and 90 K and in the equilibrium pressure range between 8 × 10⁻⁶ Pa and 2 × 10⁻⁴ Pa. Two dimensional condensation of the first layer of Xe on Ag(1 1 1) occurred at the temperature 0.3 ± 0.1 K higher than that on Ag(1 0 0). In the case of Kr on Ag(1 1 1) and Ag(1 0 0), the temperature difference was 0.2 ± 0.1 K. This temperature difference was discussed on the assumption that it is caused by the repulsive interaction between the dipoles induced in rare gas atoms. We estimated the difference of the induced dipole moment μ: μ of Xe atom on Ag(1 0 0) is 6% larger than that on Ag(1 1 1) and μ of Kr atom on Ag(1 0 0) is 14% larger than that on Ag(1 1 1).     

Vibrational properties of the graphite (0001) surface

The temperature dependence of low-energy electron diffraction intensity-energy spectra from the graphite (0001) surface has been measured from 100 to 600 K. The perpendicular and parallel effective surface Debye temperatures and the effective mean-square vibration amplitudes as a function of electron energy have been determined from these data. The values show surface enhancement and approach the bulk values with increasing electron energy. At energies below ≈ 100 eV, however, there is little anisotropy observed between the effective Debye temperatures parallel and perpendicular to the graphite surface.     

Comparative study of adsorption characteristics of Cs on the GaN （0001） and GaN （0001） surfaces

The adsorption characteristics of Cs on GaN （0001） and GaN （0001） surfaces with a coverage from 1/4 to 1 monolayer have been investigated using the density functional theory with a plane-wave uttrasoft pseudopotential method based on first-principles calculations. The results show that the most stable position of the Cs adatom on the GaN （0001） surface is at the N-bridge site for 1/4 monolayer coverage. As the coverage of Cs atoms at the N-bridge site is increased, the adsorption energy reduces. As the Cs atoms achieve saturation, the adsorption is no longer stable when the coverage is 3/4 monolayer. The work function achieves its minimum value when the Cs adatom coverage is 2/4 monolayer, and then rises with Cs atomic coverage. The most stable position of Cs adatoms on the GaN （000i） surface is at H3 site for 1/4 monolayer coverage. As the Cs atomic coverage at H3 site is increased, the adsorption energy reduces, and the adsorption is still stable when the Cs adatom coverage is 1 monolayer. The work function reduces persistently, and does not rise with the increase of Cs coverage.     

Isomeric effects with di-iodobenzene (C6H4I2) on adsorption on graphite

Differences are seen in the adsorption of 1,2-di-iodobenzene, 1,3-di-iodobenzene, and 1,4-di-iodobenzene on graphite, as a function of exposure, using core level photoemission. The isomer 1,3-di-iodobenzene exhibits significant differences from 1,2-di-iodobenzene, and 1,4-di-iodobenzene in apparent sticking coefficients and core level binding energies. 1,3-Di-iodobenzene adsorb on graphite at 110 K in a strongly Stranski-Krastanov or Volmer-Weber (island) growth mode. The implication is that, even for small molecules adsorption, the adsorbate dipole in the plane of surface and the choice of isomer may matter.     

Role of surface science in catalysis

Around the time of World War I, Langmuir advanced a simple theory of chemisorption and showed how it could be used to formulate rate laws for reactions occurring on surfaces. From that time on, surface science has played an important role in heterogeneous catalysis. Between the two world wars, simple studies of extents of adsorption by catalyst surfaces led to the concept of activated adsorption and to a universally used method for determining the high surface areas associated with the pore structures of catalytic materials. After World War II, the application of various spectroscopic and structural probes made it possible to investigate catalyst surfaces at a more microscopic level. Studies with idealized surfaces such as the faces of single crystals in ultra-high vacuum apparatus also made their appearance. By the end of the twentieth century, direct information was being obtained on the rates of elementary reactions of well-defined surface species. The results of such work are beginning to put “finishing touches” on the great insight of early pioneers in surface science and heterogeneous catalysis. Much has been accomplished, but exciting opportunities still remain.     

Molecular dynamics simulations study on the melting process of n-heptane layer(s) adsorbed on the graphite (0 0 1) surface

Full atomic molecular dynamics simulations of three kinds of n-heptane layers on the graphite (0 0 1) surface have been performed to investigate their melting process. The melting process and the molecule conformation transition during the process are described at the molecular level. The melting mechanism is suggested by analyzing the conformation transitions during the melting process, which is divided into three stages, i.e. the decrease, the fluctuation and the disappearance of the orientation order. The bond-orientation order parameter along the x-direction, the dihedral distribution and the height distribution of the carbonic atom in the n-heptane layers show different behaviors with increasing temperature. Furthermore, the roles of dihedral and van der Waals energy in the melting process are discussed.     

Relationship between adsorbed fibronectin and cell adhesion on a honeycomb-patterned film

Substratum surface morphology plays a vital roles in cellular behavior. Here, we characterized adsorption of fibronectin (Fn) as a typical cell adhesion protein onto honeycomb-patterned films made of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In order to determine how cells adhere to a honeycomb-patterned film, focal adhesion of cardiac myocytes (CMYs) and endothelial cells (ECs) on the films were studied by using fluorescence labeling of vinculin. Fn adsorbs around the pore edges to form ring-shaped structures. CMYs and ECs adhere onto the honeycomb-patterned films at focal contact points localized around pore edges distributed over the entire cellular surface. The focal contact points on the honeycomb-patterned films correspond well with the adsorption sites of Fn. We suggest that the cell response to honeycomb-patterned films is associated with the adsorption pattern of Fn on the film.     

Influence of graphite size on the synthesis and reduction of graphite oxides

We investigated the influence of the precursor, graphite, size on the synthesis and reduction of graphite oxide. Three precursors of graphite with different size were used to synthesize the graphite oxide which was consecutively reduced by hydrazine of different concentration ratios. Size dependent effect on the reduction of the graphite oxide was found, and the graphite oxide of the smallest size provided the best reduction result. Electrochemical properties of the reduced graphene oxide were investigated in both of the base and acid electrolytes, finding the reduced graphene oxide of the smallest size gives the best electrochemical performance due to the high reduction. Therefore, the precursor size is a very important factor in the synthesis and reduction of graphite oxide, affecting the electrochemical performance considerably for the energy storage applications.     

Semiconducting electronic property of graphene adsorbed on (0001) surfaces of SiO2

First-principles total energy calculations are performed to investigate the energetics and electronic structures of graphene adsorbed on both an oxygen-terminated SiO2 (0001) surface and a fully hydroxylated SiO2 (0001) surface. We find that there are several stable adsorption sites for graphene on both O-terminated and hydroxylated SiO2 surfaces. The binding energy in the most stable geometry is found to be 15 meV per C atom, indicating a weak interaction between graphene and SiO2 (0001) surfaces. We also find that the graphene adsorbed on SiO2 is a semiconductor irrespective of the adsorption arrangement due to the variation of on-site energy induced by the SiO2 substrate.