Waterlike structural and excess entropy anomalies in liquid beryllium fluoride

The relationship between structural order metrics and the excess entropy is studied using the transferable rigid ion model (TRIM) of beryllium fluoride melt, which is known to display waterlike thermodynamic anomalies. The order map for liquid BeF2, plotted between translational and tetrahedral order metrics, shows a structurally anomalous regime, similar to that seen in water and silica melt, corresponding to a band of state points for which average tetrahedral (q(tet)) and translational (tau) order are strongly correlated. The tetrahedral order parameter distributions further substantiate the analogous structural properties of BeF2, SiO2, and H2O. A region of excess entropy anomaly can be defined within which the pair correlation contribution to the excess entropy (S2) shows an anomalous rise with isothermal compression. Within this region of anomalous entropy behavior, q(tet) and S2 display a strong negative correlation, indicating the connection between the thermodynamic and the structural anomalies. The existence of this region of excess entropy anomaly must play an important role in determining the existence of diffusional and mobility anomalies, given the excess entropy scaling of transport properties observed in many liquids.     

A first-principles description of liquid BeF2 and its mixtures with LiF: 2. Network formation in LiF-BeF2

A polarizable ionic interaction potential, constructed from first-principles calculations, is used to examine the structure, vibrational spectra, and transport properties of molten mixtures of LiF and BeF2 across a range of compositions. The simulations reproduce the experimentally measured vibrational frequencies of the fluoroberyllate (BeF4(2-)) ions, which form in the melt, as well as conductivity and viscosity values across the composition range. Examination of the structures of the melts reveals the emergence of a slowly relaxing network of BeF4 units as the concentration of BeF2 is increased. The relationship between the appearance of the network and the composition dependence of the transport properties is explored.     

Ionic melts with waterlike anomalies: thermodynamic properties of liquid BeF2

Thermodynamic properties of liquid beryllium difluoride (BeF(2)) are studied using canonical ensemble molecular dynamics simulations of the transferable rigid ion model potential. The negative slope of the locus of points of maximum density in the temperature-pressure plane is mapped out. The excess entropy, computed within the pair correlation approximation, is found to show an anomalous increase with isothermal compression at low temperatures which will lead to diffusional as well as structural anomalies resembling those in water. The anomalous behavior of the entropy is largely connected with the behavior of the Be-F pair correlation function. The internal energy shows a T(35) temperature dependence. The pair correlation entropy shows a T(-25) temperature dependence only at high densities and temperatures. The correlation plots between internal energy and the pair correlation entropy for isothermal compression show the characteristic features expected of network-forming liquids with waterlike anomalies. The tagged particle potential energy distributions are shown to have a multimodal form at low temperatures and densities similar to those seen in other liquids with three-dimensional tetrahedral networks, such as water and silica.     

Excess entropy scaling of transport properties in network-forming ionic melts (SiO(2) and BeF(2))

The regime of validity of Rosenfeld excess entropy scaling of diffusivity and viscosity is examined for two tetrahedral, network-forming ionic melts (BeF(2) and SiO(2)) using molecular dynamics simulations. With decrease in temperature, onset of local caging behavior in the diffusional dynamics is shown to be accompanied by a significant increase in the effect of three-body and higher-order particle correlations on the excess entropy, diffusivity, ionic conductivity, and entropy-transport relationships. The signature of caging effects on the Rosenfeld entropy scaling of transport properties is a distinctly steeper dependence of the logarithm of the diffusivity on the excess entropy in ionic melts. This is shown to be true also for a binary Lennard-Jones glassformer, based on available results in the literature. Our results suggest that the onset of a landscape-influenced regime in the dynamics is correlated with this characteristic departure from Rosenfeld scaling. The breakdown of the Nernst-Einstein relation in the ionic melts can also be correlated with the emerging cooperative dynamics.     

Structural correlations and cooperative dynamics in supercooled liquids

The relationships between diffusivity and the excess, pair and residual multiparticle contributions to the entropy are examined for Lennard-Jones liquids and binary glassformers, in the context of approximate inverse power law mappings of simple liquids. In the dense liquid where diffusivities are controlled by collisions and cage relaxations, Rosenfeld-type excess entropy scaling of diffusivities is found to hold for both crystallizing as well as vitrifying liquids. The crucial differences between the two categories of liquids emerge only when local cooperative effects in the dynamics result in significant caging effects in the time-dependent behaviour of the single-particle mean square displacement. In the case of glassformers, onset of such local cooperativity coincides with onset of deviations from Rosenfeld-type excess entropy scaling of diffusivities and increasing spatiotemporal heterogeneity. In contrast, for two- and three-dimensional liquids with a propensity to crystallise, the onset of local cooperative dynamics is sufficient to trigger crystallization provided that the liquid is sufficiently supercooled that the free energy barrier to nucleation of the solid phase is negligible. The state points corresponding to onset of transient caging effects can be associated with typical values, within reasonable bounds, of the excess, pair, and residual multiparticle entropy as a consequence of the isomorph-invariant character of the excess entropy, diffusivity and related static and dynamic correlation functions.     

Entropy, diffusivity, and structural order in liquids with waterlike anomalies

The excess entropy, defined as the difference between the entropies of the liquid and the ideal gas under identical density and temperature conditions, is studied as a function of density and temperature for liquid silica and a two-scale ramp potential, both of which are known to possess waterlike liquid state anomalies. The excess entropy for both systems is evaluated using a fairly accurate pair correlation approximation. The connection between the excess entropy and the density and diffusional anomalies is demonstrated. Using the pair correlation approximation to the excess entropy, it can be shown that if the energetically favorable local geometries in the low and high density limits have different symmetries, then a structurally anomalous regime can be defined in terms of orientational and translational order parameters, as in the case of silica and the two-scale ramp system but not for the one-scale ramp liquid. Within the category of liquids with waterlike anomalies, we show that the relationship between the macroscopic entropy and internal energy is sufficient to distinguish between those with local anisotropy and consequent open packings at low densities and those with isotropic interactions but multiple length scales. Since it is straightforward to evaluate the pair correlation entropy and internal energy from simulations or experimental data, such plots should provide a convenient means to diagnose the existence as well as type of anomalous behavior in a range of liquids, including ionic and intermetallic melts and complex fluids with ultrasoft repulsions.     

离子液中溶剂化电子的结构及其演化动力学

本文综述了离子型液体介质中过剩电子的结构、存在状态及其时间演化动力学特征。基于从头算分子动力学模拟及计算结果,重点阐述了咪唑型、吡啶型、碱金属离子型熔盐氯化物离子液中与过剩电子溶剂化密切相关的溶剂化能量学、结构特征、可能的存在状态以及态-态转化稳态动力学机制,分析了此类离子型介质中电子高效传导的内在本质及离子液组成离子的重要作用。阳离子的最低未占轨道组成的导带结构是离子液中过剩电子的溶剂化态及其稳定性的决定因素,任何能影响或改变其导带结构的因素均能显著影响过剩电子溶剂化。但快速的态-态转化及电子迁移并不明显取决于其组成离子扩散动力学,而是敏感地受离子液涨落所控制。这种基于溶剂化电子的迁移模式构成了此类离子型介质甚至其它液态介质中电子转移的新途径。     

Intermolecular vibrations and fast relaxations in supercooled ionic liquids

Short-time dynamics of ionic liquids has been investigated by low-frequency Raman spectroscopy (4 < ω < 100 cm(-1)) within the supercooled liquid range. Raman spectra are reported for ionic liquids with the same anion, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and different cations: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium, trimethylbutylammonium, and tributylmethylammonium. It is shown that low-frequency Raman spectroscopy provides similar results as optical Kerr effect (OKE) spectroscopy, which has been used to study intermolecular vibrations in ionic liquids. The comparison of ionic liquids containing aromatic and non-aromatic cations identifies the characteristic feature in Raman spectra usually assigned to librational motion of the imidazolium ring. The strength of the fast relaxations (quasi-elastic scattering, QES) and the intermolecular vibrational contribution (boson peak) of ionic liquids with non-aromatic cations are significantly lower than imidazolium ionic liquids. A correlation length assigned to the boson peak vibrations was estimated from the frequency of the maximum of the boson peak and experimental data of sound velocity. The correlation length related to the boson peak (～19 A?) does not change with the length of the alkyl chain in imidazolium cations, in contrast to the position of the first-sharp diffraction peak observed in neutron and X-ray scattering measurements of ionic liquids. The rate of change of the QES intensity in the supercooled liquid range is compared with data of excess entropy, free volume, and mean-squared displacement recently reported for ionic liquids. The temperature dependence of the QES intensity in ionic liquids illustrates relationships between short-time dynamics and long-time structural relaxation that have been proposed for glass-forming liquids.     

The sulfur dioxide-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide interaction: drastic changes in structural and physical properties

The contact between minor amounts of SO2 and crystalline 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide (BMIBr) causes the almost immediate melting of the ionic liquid (mp 45 degrees C) as well as a dramatic decrease in its viscosity in comparison to the pure molten phase. The same behavior was observed for other halide ionic liquids of higher melting points (70, 135, and 220 degrees C). The Raman spectrum of BMIBr-SO2 clearly indicates a specific charge transfer interaction involving SO2 and the halide. The measurements of ionic conductivity and diffusion coefficients obtained for the neat BMIBr (molten phase) and for the BMIBr-SO2 strongly suggest a higher degree of ionic association in the presence of SO2. Molecular dynamic simulations indicate that although the cation-anion distance is preserved in the short range, there is a variation in the interionic distances in the second shell, leading to a less organized structure in the long range. The modulation of the structural and physical properties of ionic liquids by SO2 and the convenient choice of the ions for gas absorption are suggested.     

Understanding Structural and Transport Properties of Dissolved Li2S8 in Ionic Liquid Electrolytes through Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Lithium-sulfur batteries with high energy density are considered as one of the most promising future energy storage devices. However, the parasitic lithium polysulfides shuttle phenomenon severely hinders the commercialization of such batteries. Ionic liquids have been found to suppress the lithium polysulfides solubility, diminishing the shuttle effect effectively. Herein, we performed classical molecular dynamics simulations to explore the microscopic mechanism and transport behaviors of typical Li₂S₈ species in ionic liquids and ionic liquid-based electrolyte systems. We found that the trifluoromethanesulfonate anions ([OTf]⁻) exhibit higher coordination strength with lithium ions compared with bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anions ([TFSI]⁻) in static microstructures. However, the dynamical characteristics indicate that the presence of the [OTf]⁻ anions in ionic liquid electrolytes bring faster Li⁺ exchange rate and easier dissociation of Li⁺ solvation structures. Our simulation models offer a significant guidance to future studies on designing ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium-sulfur batteries.     

Chemical potentials in aqueous solutions of some ionic liquids with the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cation

We determined the vapor pressures of aqueous solutions of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C 2mim])-based ionic liquids (IL) with counteranions, tetrafluoroborate (BF 4 (-)), trifluoromethanesulfonate (OTF (-)), and iodide (I (-)). Because in literature the evidence is accumulating and pointing to the fact that ionic liquid ions do not dissociate in aqueous media for the most of the concentration range, we analyzed the vapor pressure data on the basis of binary mixture, and the excess chemical potentials of each component were calculated. From these, the intermolecular interactions in terms of excess chemical potential and hence the concentration fluctuations were evaluated. Though any further discussion into the mixing schemes of the mixture awaits the excess partial molar enthalpy and hence the excess partial molar entropy data, the net interaction in terms of excess chemical potential indicates that the affinity of each IL is ranked in the descending order [C 2mim]I > [C 2mim]OTF > [C 2mim]BF 4. This is consistent with our earlier findings that [C 2mim] (+) is modestly amphiphilic with almost equal hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, I (-) is a hydrophile, and OTF (-) is amphiphilic, and BF 4 (-) is believed to be strongly hydrophobic.     

A tale of two ions: the conformational landscapes of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide and N,N-dialkylpyrrolidinium

The conformational landscapes of two commonly used ionic liquid ions, the anion bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (Ntf2) and the cations N-propyl- and N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium, were investigated using data obtained from Raman spectroscopy, molecular dynamics, and ab initio techniques. In the case of Ntf2, the plotting of three-dimensional potential energy surfaces (PES) and the corresponding molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed the existence of two stable isomers (each existing as a pair of enantiomers) and evidenced the nature of the anion as a flexible, albeit hindered, molecule capable of interconversion between conformers in the liquid state, a result confirmed by the Raman data. In the case of the N,N-dialkylpyrrolidinium cations, the PES show a much more limited conformational behavior of the pyrrolidinium ring (pseudorotation). Nevertheless, such pseudorotation produces two stable isomers with the propyl and butyl side chains in completely different positions (axial-envelope and equatorial-envelope conformations). This result was also confirmed by Raman spectra analyses and MD simulations in the liquid phase. The implications of the conformational behavior of the two types of ions are discussed in terms of the solvation properties of the corresponding ionic liquids.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the ionic liquid N-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide

Thermodynamics, structure, and dynamics of an ionic liquid based on a quaternary ammonium salt with ether side chain, namely, N-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, MOENM2E TFSI, are investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Average density and configurational energy of simulated MOENM2E TFSI are interpreted with models that take into account empirical ionic volumes. A throughout comparison of the equilibrium structure of MOENM2E TFSI with previous results for the more common ionic liquids based on imidazolium cations is provided. Several time correlation functions are used to reveal the microscopic dynamics of MOENM2E TFSI. Structural relaxation is discussed by the calculation of simultaneous space-time correlation functions. Temperature effects on transport coefficients (diffusion, conductivity, and viscosity) are investigated. The ratio between the actual conductivity and the estimate from ionic diffusion by the Nernst-Einstein equation indicates that correlated motion of neighboring ions in MOENM2E TFSI is similar to imidazolium ionic liquids. In line with experiment, Walden plot of conductivity and viscosity indicates that simulated MOENM2E TFSI should be classified as a poor ionic liquid.     

Ion speciation driving chirality transfer in imidazolium-based camphorsulfonate ionic liquid solutions

The underlying principle of the chirality transfer in imidazolium-based camphorsulfonate ionic liquids is rationalized by linking catalytic results from the hydrogenation of [N-(3'-oxobutyl)-N-methylimidazolium] [(+)-camphorsulfonate] to [N-(3'-hydroxybutyl)-N-methylimidazolium] [(+)-camphorsulfonate] in tetrahydrofuran with electrolyte theory by the help of dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. Using this approach we are able to explain why the maximum of the enantiomeric excess of the hydrogenation reaction in tetrahydrofuran is found at a medium concentration of 0.15 mol L(-1), whereas it declines at both, lower and higher concentrations. Dielectric spectra in the concentration range between 0.05 and 1.0 mol L(-1) reveal a solute mode due to dipolar ion pairs and larger dipolar ion clusters. They verify that at very low concentrations the ionic liquid ions are fully solvated with an increasing tendency to form neutral ion pairs with increasing concentration. Already at 0.025 mol L(-1) the degree of dissociation reaches a minimum reflecting a maximum of neutral ion pair formation. With increasing ionic liquid concentration ordered ion clusters are formed by two and more ion pairs. At high concentrations these clusters collapse by dilution in the excess ionic liquid and the defined ion contact necessary for the chirality transfer is lost to a great extent.     

Physical properties and intermolecular dynamics of an ionic liquid compared with its isoelectronic neutral binary solution

In this study, we address the following question about room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). Are the properties of a RTIL more dependent on the charges of the molecular ions or on the fact that the liquid is a complex mixture of two species, one or both of which are asymmetric? To address this question and to better understand the interactions and dynamics in RTILs, we have prepared the organic ionic liquid 1-methoxyethylpyridinium dicyanoamide (MOEPy(+)/DCA(-)) and compared this RTIL with the analogous isoelectronic binary solution, comprised of equal parts of 1-methoxyethylbenzene (MOEBz) and dicyanomethane (DCM). In essence, we have created a RTIL and a nearly identical neutral pair in which we have effectively turned off the charges. To understand the intermolecular interactions in both of these liquids, we have characterized the bulk density and shear viscosity. Using femtosecond optical Kerr effect spectroscopy, we have also characterized the intermolecular vibrational dynamics and diffusive reorientation. To verify that the shape, polarizability, and electronic structure of the RTIL ions and the components of the neutral pair are truly quite similar, we have carried out density functional theory calculations on the individual molecular ion and neutral species.     

Diffusion and viscosity of liquid tin: Green-Kubo relationship-based calculations from molecular dynamics simulations

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of liquid tin between its melting point and 1600 °C have been performed in order to interpret and discuss the ionic structure. The interactions between ions are described by a new accurate pair potential built within the pseudopotential formalism and the linear response theory. The calculated structure factor that reflects the main information on the local atomic order in liquids is compared to diffraction measurements. Having some confidence in the ability of this pair potential to give a good representation of the atomic structure, we then focused our attention on the investigation of the atomic transport properties through the MD computations of the velocity autocorrelation function and stress autocorrelation function. Using the Green-Kubo formula (for the first time to our knowledge for liquid tin) we determine the macroscopic transport properties from the corresponding microscopic time autocorrelation functions. The selfdiffusion coefficient and the shear viscosity as functions of temperature are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Ionic liquid near a charged wall: structure and capacitance of electrical double layer

We study the effects of ion size asymmetry and short-range correlations on the electrical double layer in ionic liquids: we perform molecular dynamics simulations of a model ionic liquid between two "electrodes" and calculate the differential capacitance of each as a function of the electrode potential. The capacitance curve has an asymmetric "bell-shape" character, in qualitative agreement with recent experiments and the mean- field theory (MFT) which takes into account the limitation on the maximal local density of ions. The short-range ionic correlations, not included in the MFT, lead to an overscreening effect which changes radically the structure of the double layer at small and moderate charging. With the radius of cations taken to be twice as large as anions, the position of the main capacitance maximum is shifted positively from the potential of zero charge (PZC), as predicted by MFT. An extension of the theory (EMFT), however, reproduces the simulated capacitance curve almost quantitatively. Capacitance curves for real ionic liquids will be affected by nonspherical shape of ions and sophisticated pair potentials, varying from liquid to liquid. But understanding the capacitance behavior of such model system is a basis for rationalizing those more specific features.     

Correlations in liquid water for the TIP3P-Ewald, TIP4P-2005, TIP5P-Ewald, and SWM4-NDP models

Water is one of the simplest molecules in existence, but also one of the most important in biological and engineered systems. However, understanding the structure and dynamics of liquid water remains a major scientific challenge. Molecular dynamics simulations of liquid water were performed using the water models TIP3P-Ewald, TIP4P-2005, TIP5P-Ewald, and SWM4-NDP to calculate the radial distribution functions (RDFs), the relative angular distributions, and the excess enthalpies, entropies, and free energies. In addition, lower-order approximations to the entropy were considered, identifying the fourth-order approximation as an excellent estimate of the full entropy. The second-order and third-order approximations are ~20% larger and smaller than the true entropy, respectively. All four models perform very well in predicting the radial distribution functions, with the TIP5P-Ewald model providing the best match to the experimental data. The models also perform well in predicting the excess entropy, enthalpy, and free energy of liquid water. The TIP4P-2005 and SWM4-NDP models are more accurate than the TIP3P-Ewald and TIP5P-Ewald models in this respect. However, the relative angular distribution functions of the four water models reveal notable differences. The TIP5P-Ewald model demonstrates an increased preference for water molecules to act both as tetrahedral hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, whereas the SWM4-NDP model demonstrates an increased preference for water molecules to act as planar hydrogen bond acceptors. These differences are not uncovered by analysis of the RDFs or the commonly employed tetrahedral order parameter. However, they are expected to be very important when considering water molecules around solutes and are thus a key consideration in modelling solvent entropy.     

Computational investigation of order, structure, and dynamics in modified water models

Model liquids have been constructed to study the role of local structure in the anomalous properties of liquid water. The intermolecular potentials were modified by increasing the weight of the Lennard-Jones term relative to the electrostatic term in the SPC/E model for water. The resulting family of liquids varies from SPC/E water to a Lennard-Jones-like liquid. Properties were measured as a function of density and temperature. The local structure was described by two order parameters, one measuring the tetrahedral order and the other measuring the translational order. The translational order parameter was found to be large for both tetrahedral and Lennard-Jones liquids, but to go through a minimum as the potentials were modified, demonstrating that the two types of structure are incompatible. Just as in water several properties (e.g., the translational diffusion coefficient, entropy) exhibit anomalous density dependence as a result of the breakdown of local tetrahedrality, we observed nonmonotonic behavior of the translational diffusion constant and reorientational relaxation rate as the fluids were transformed from tetrahedral to Lennard-Jones-like. This is also an indication of the incompatibility between Lennard-Jones and water-like structure.