The role of surface and subsurface point defects for chemical model studies on TiO2: a first-principles theoretical study of formaldehyde bonding on rutile TiO2(110)

We report a systematic investigation of the effects of different surface and subsurface point defects on the adsorption of formaldehyde on rutile TiO(2)(110) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT). All point defects investigated--including surface bridging oxygen vacancies, titanium interstitials, and subsurface oxygen vacancies--stabilize the adsorption significantly by up to 56 kJ mol(-1) at a coverage of 0.1 monolayer (ML). The stabilization is due to a decrease of the coordination (covalent saturation) of the surface Ti adsorption sites adjacent to the defects, which leads to a stronger molecule-surface interaction. This change in the Ti is caused by the removal of a neighboring atom (oxygen vacancies) or substantial lattice relaxations induced by the subsurface defects. On the stoichiometric reference surface, the most stable adsorption geometry of formaldehyde is a tilted η(2)-dioxymethylene (with an adsorption energy E(ads)=-125 kJ mol(-1)), in which a bond forms to a nearby bridging O atom and the carbonyl-O atom in the formaldehyde binds to a Ti atom in the adjacent fivefold coordinated lattice site. The η(1)-top configuration on five-coordinate Ti(4+) is much less favorable (E(ads)=-69 kJ mol(-1)). The largest stabilization is exerted by subsurface Ti interstitials between the first and second layers. These defects stabilize the η(2)-dioxymethylene structure by nearly 40 kJ mol(-1) to an adsorption energy of -164 kJ mol(-1). Contrary to popular belief, adsorption in a bridging oxygen vacancy (E(ads)=-86 kJ mol(-1)) is much less favorable for formaldehyde compared to the η(2)-dioxymethylene structures. From these results we conclude that formaldehyde will bind in the η(2)-dioxymethylene structure on the stoichiometric surface as well as in the presence of Ti interstitials and bridging oxygen vacancies. In the light of these substantial effects, we conclude that it is essential to include all the types of point defects present in typical, reduced rutile samples used for model studies, at realistic concentrations to obtain correct adsorption sites, structures, energetic, and chemi-physical properties.     

Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure study of disordering in Gd2(Ti1-yZry)2O7 pyrochlores

Disorder in Gd2(Ti(1-y)Zry)2O7 pyrochlores, for y = 0.0-1.0, is investigated by Ti 2p and O 1s near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Ti(4+) ions are found to occupy octahedral sites in Gd2Ti2O7 with a tetragonal distortion induced by vacant oxygen sites. As Zr substitutes for Ti, the tetragonal distortion decreases, and Zr coordination increases from 6 to 8. The migration of oxygen ions from 48f or 8b sites to vacant 8a sites compensate for the increased Zr coordination, thereby reducing the number of vacant 8a sites, which further reduces the tetragonal distortion and introduces more disorder around Ti. This is evidence for simultaneous cation disorder with anion migration.     

Electronic Properties of Transition‐Metal‐Decorated Silicene

The electronic properties of 3d transition metal (TM)‐decorated silicene were investigated by using density functional calculations in an attempt to replace graphene in electronic applications, owing to its better compatibility with Si‐based technology. Among the ten types of TM‐doped silicene (TM–silicene) studied, Ti‐, Ni‐, and Zn‐doped silicene became semiconductors, whereas Co and Cu doping changed the substrate to a half‐metallic material. Interestingly, in cases of Ti‐ and Cu‐doped silicene, the measured band gaps turned out to be significantly larger than the previously reported band gap in silicene. The observed band‐gap openings at the Fermi level were induced by breaking the sublattice symmetry caused by two structural changes, that is, the Jahn–Teller distortion and protrusion of the TM atom. The present calculation of the band gap in TM–silicene suggests useful guidance for future experiments to fabricate various silicene‐based applications such as a field‐effect transistor, single‐spin electron source, and nonvolatile magnetic random‐access memory.     

Study of intercalated Ti atom in tetrahedral or octahedral sites of titanium disulfide (001) surfaces: theoretical scanning tunneling microscopy images

We have performed ab initio linear combination of atomic orbitals-density functional theory calculations on biperiodic supercells to model the electronic and geometrical involvements of Ti intercalated atom in either octahedral or tetrahedral sites of the (001) TiS2 surfaces. For each type of defect, both the relaxed atomic structure and the electronic properties of the defect states were carefully analyzed. For the titanium atom in the van der Waals gap, the partial filling of the conduction band is in agreement with the metallic behavior reported by experimental studies and the last filled states in the bottom of the conduction band--mainly developed on titanium 3d orbitals--permit us to explain the dark defects observed on the scanning tunneling microscopy image of the (001) TiS2 surfaces. On the other hand, the intercalated titanium atom in the tetrahedral site which is just below the top sulfur atom plane governs the electronic density detected by the tip. It permits us to explain the triangular defect with a clear maximum of intensity in its center and dark sides.     

Effect of Formic Acid on the Outdiffusion of Ti Interstitials at TiO2 Surfaces: A DFT+U Investigation

Ti interstitials play a key role in the surface chemistry of TiO₂. However, because of their elusive behavior, proof of their participation in catalytic processes is difficult to obtain. Here, we used DFT+U calculations to investigate the interaction between formic acid (FA) and excess Ti atoms on the rutile-TiO₂(110) and anatase-TiO₂(101) surfaces. The excess Ti atoms favor FA dissociation, while decreasing the relative stability of the bidentate bridging coordination over the monodentate one. FA species interact significantly with the Ti interstitials, favoring their outdiffusion. Eventually, Ti atoms can emerge at the surface forming chelate species, which are more stable than monodentate FA species in the case of rutile, and are even energetically favored in the case of anatase. The presence of Ti adatoms that can directly participate to surface processes should then be considered when formic acid and possibly carboxylate-bearing species are adsorbed onto TiO₂ particles.     

Unusual electronic and bonding properties of the Zintl phase Ca5Ge3 and related compounds. A theoretical analysis

Theoretical reasons for metallic behavior among diverse Zintl phases have generally not been pursued at an advanced level. Here, the electronic structure of Ca5Ge3 (Cr5B3 type), which can be formulated (Ca+2)5(Ge2-6)Ge-4 in oxidation states, has been explored comparatively by means of semiempirical and first-principles density functional methods. The FP-APW calculations show that alkaline-earth-metal and germanium orbitals, particularly the d orbitals on the cations and the p-pi orbitals of the halogen-like dimeric Ge2-6, mix considerably to form a conduction band. This covalency perfectly explains the unusual metallic properties of the nominally electron-precise Zintl phase Ca5Ge3 and its numerous relatives. Similar calculational results are obtained for Sr5Ge3, Ba5Ge3, and Ca5Sn3. Cation d orbitals appear to be a common theme among Zintl phases that are also metallic.     

Effect of Ni and Pd on the geometry, electronic properties, and active sites of copper clusters

The geometry, electronic properties, and active sites of copper clusters doped with Ni or Pd atoms, Cu(n)()(-)(1)M (n = 2-6; M = Ni, Pd) have been investigated using first-principles methods. Planar structures are energetically favorable in Cu(n)()(-)(1)Ni (n = 2-6). However, for Pd-doped clusters, three-dimensional structures are competitive in energy, and for n = 6, the most stable structure is not planar. Several properties of doped copper clusters present odd-even oscillations as the number of copper atoms grow. The different atomic ground-state configuration of Ni and Pd determines the bonding and electronic properties of doped copper clusters. The interaction between impurities and copper atoms can modify the chemical hardness and active sites of doped copper clusters markedly inducing directionality in the reactivity. This effect is relevant to the behavior of catalysts as well as in the growth of metallic films.     

Ti vacancies on the (001) surface of TiS2 detected by scanning tunneling microscopy: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Various defects – either bright or dark triangular defects – are observed on the titanium disulfide surface (001) by ultra high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. The experimental interpretations of the images available in the literature suggest that a fraction of Ti atoms could be displaced from the octahedral site they occupied to vacant sites of the crystal structure, leading to more or less correlated defects. In this paper, we have performed ab initio periodic LCAO-B3LYP calculations on a (5 × 5) biperiodic supercell to model the electronic and geometrical involvements of Ti vacancies and to generate the theoretical STM images within the Tersoff–Hamann approximation. The relaxed structure of the Ti vacancy shows an inward movement of the neighboring sulfur atoms at the surface. However, the occupied vacancy electronic states at the Fermi level are mainly developed on the atomic orbitals of the first S neighbors at the surface, leading to bright triangular zones on the simulated image.     

Long distance electron-transfer mechanism in peptidylglycine alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase: a perfect fitting for a water bridge

The active sites of copper enzymes have been the subject of many theoretical and experimental investigations from a number of years. Such studies have embraced topics devoted to the modeling of the first coordination sphere at the metallic cations up to the development of biomimetic, or bioinspired, catalytic systems. At least from the theoretical viewpoint, fewer efforts have been dedicated to elucidate how the two copper cations act concertedly in noncoupled dicopper enzymes such as peptidylglycine alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM) and dopamine beta-monooxygenase (DbetaM). In these metalloenzymes, an electronic transfer is assumed between the two distant copper cations (11 A). Recent experimental results suggest that this transfer occurs through water molecules, a phenomenon which has been theoretically evidenced to be of high efficiency in the case of cytochrome b5 (Science, 2005, 310, 1311). In the present contribution dedicated to PHM, we overpass the common theoretical approaches dedicated to the electronic and geometrical structures of sites CuM or CuH restricted to their first coordination spheres and aim at directly comparing theoretical results to the experimentally measured activity of the PHM enzyme. To achieve this goal, molecular dynamics simulations were performed on wild-type and various mutants of PHM. More precisely, we provide an estimate of the electron-transfer efficiency between the CuM and CuH sites by means of such molecular dynamics simulations coupled to Marcus theory joined to the Beratan model to approximate the required coupling matrix elements. The theoretical results are compared to the kinetics measurements performed on wild and mutated PHM. The present work, the dynamic aspects of which are essential, accounts for the experimental results issued from mutagenesis. It supports the conclusion that an electronic transfer can occur between two copper(I) sites along a bridge involving a set of hydrogen and chemical bonds. Residue Gln170 is evidenced to be the keystone of this water-mediated pathway.     

Adsorption and reaction of CO and CO2 on oxidized and reduced SrTiO3(100) surfaces

The adsorption and reaction of CO and CO(2) on oxidized and reduced SrTiO(3)(100) surfaces have been studied with temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS results indicate that the oxidized SrTiO(3)(100) surfaces are nearly defect-free with predominantly Ti(4+) ions whereas the sputter-reduced surfaces contain substantial amounts of defects. Both CO and CO(2) are found to adsorb weakly on the oxidized SrTiO(3)(100) surfaces. On sputter-reduced surfaces, enhanced reactivity of CO and CO(2) is observed due to the presence of oxygen vacancy sites, which are responsible for dissociative adsorption of these molecules. Our studies indicate that the CO and CO(2) molecules exhibit relatively weaker interactions with SrTiO(3)(100) compared to those with TiO(2)(110) and TiO(2)(100) surfaces. This is most likely an influence of the Sr cations on the electronic structure of the Ti cations in the mixed oxide of SrTiO(3).     

Small-defect clusters in chromia-doped rutiles

Bright-field phase contrast electron microscope images of chromia-doped rutiles have been used to study the size and distribution of small defect clusters in specimens of TiO₂, (Ti,Cr)O_1.995, and (Ti,Cr)O_1.985. Comparisons of observed and measured spot contrast densities, and contrast calculations using computer simulations of the defect structures, lead to the conclusion that the smallest clusters observed contained ～32 Cr³⁺ cations. Larger clusters occurred with increasing frequency for higher dopant levels, which is consistent with increased interaction and aggregation of traditional or reconstructed small defects (e.g., Cr³⁺ interstitials or charge-compensated oxygen vacancies).     

Electronic and magnetic properties of all 3d transition‐metal‐doped ZnO monolayers

Stable geometries, electronic structures, and magnetic properties of the ZnO monolayer doped with 3d transition‐metal (TM) (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) atoms substituting the cation Zn have been investigated using first‐principles pseudopotential plane wave method within density functional theory (DFT). It is found that these nine atomic species can be effectively doped in the ZnO monolayer with formation energies ranging from ?6.319 to ?0.132 eV. Furthermore, electronic structures and magnetic properties of ZnO monolayer can be modified by such doping. The results show that the doping of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu atoms can induce magnetization, while no magnetism is observed when Sc, Ti, and V atoms are doped into the ZnO monolayer. The magnetic moment is mainly due to the strong p–d mixing of O and TM (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) orbitals. These results are potentially useful for spintronic applications and the development of magnetic nanostructures. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Computational study of ethanol adsorption and reaction over rutile TiO(2) (110) surfaces

Studies of the modes of adsorption and the associated changes in electronic structures of renewable organic compounds are needed in order to understand the fundamentals behind surface reactions of catalysts for future energies. Using planewave density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the adsorption of ethanol on perfect and O-defected TiO(2) rutile (110) surfaces was examined. On both surfaces the dissociative adsorption mode on five-fold coordinated Ti cations (Ti(4+)(5c)) was found to be more favourable than the molecular adsorption mode. On the stoichiometric surface E(ads) was found to be equal to 0.85 eV for the ethoxide mode and equal to 0.76 eV for the molecular mode. These energies slightly increased when adsorption occurred on the Ti(4+)(5c) closest to the O-defected site. However, both considerably increased when adsorption occurred at the removed bridging surface O; interacting with Ti(3+) cations. In this case the dissociative adsorption becomes strongly favoured (E(ads) = 1.28 eV for molecular adsorption and 2.27 eV for dissociative adsorption). Geometry and electronic structures of adsorbed ethanol were analysed in detail on the stoichiometric surface. Ethanol does not undergo major changes in its structure upon adsorption with its C-O bond rotating nearly freely on the surface. Bonding to surface Ti atoms is a σ type transfer from the O2p of the ethanol-ethoxide species. Both ethanol and ethoxide present potential hole traps on O lone pairs. Charge density and work function analyses also suggest charge transfer from the adsorbate to the surface, in which the dissociative adsorptions show a larger charge transfer than the molecular adsorption mode.     

Preparation and crystal data of the New Pyrochlores Pb2[M1.5Te0.5]O6.5 (M = Ti,Zr, Sn,Hf)

From mixtures of PbO, MO₂ (M = Ti, Zr, Hf), SnO, and TeO₂, four new oxides Pb₂[M_1.5Te_0.5]O_6.5 have been obtained as yellow powders giving X-ray diffraction patterns characteristic of cubic pyrochlores, S.G. Fd3 m (No. 227), Z = 8, and a/Å values from 10.3529(1) (M = Ti) to 10.7406(1) (M = Zr). The best R factors, from 0.0465 (M = Ti) to 0.0242 (M = Hf), were obtained for Pb in 16(c) positions, M and Te (3:1) randomly distributed in 16(d), oxygen atoms in 48(f) and in a half of the 8(a) sites, and x values for the oxygen positional parameter (origin at center, 3 m) from 0.436 (M = Ti) to 0.421 (M = Zr). For the compounds of Ti and Zr the angles of the coordination polyhedra around the metals are reported. For seven-coordinated Pb^II the stereochemical influence of the nonbonded electron pair is shown. Apparent interatomic distances agree with those calculated.     

DFT+U study of defects in bulk rutile TiO(2)

We present a systematic study of electronic gap states in defected titania using our implementation of the Hubbard-U approximation in the grid-based projector-augmented wave density functional theory code, GPAW. The defects considered are Ti interstitials, O vacancies, and H dopants in the rutile phase of bulk titanium dioxide. We find that by applying a sufficiently large value for the Hubbard-U parameter of the Ti 3d states, the excess electrons localize spatially at the Ti sites and appear as states in the band gap. At U=2.5?eV, the position in energy of these gap states are in fair agreement with the experimental observations. In calculations with several excess electrons and U=2.5?eV, all of these end up in gap states that are spatially localized around specific Ti atoms, thus effectively creating one Ti(3+) ion per excess electron. An important result of this investigation is that regardless of which structural defect is the origin of the gap states, at U=2.5?eV, these states are found to have their mean energies within a few hundredths of an eV from 0.94 eV below the conduction band minimum.     

Structures and properties of functional metal selenites and tellurites

Metal selenites and tellurites are a class of very important compounds. In this paper, the structures and properties of metal selenites or tellurites combining with transition-metal (TM) ions with the d (0) electronic configuration or tetrahedral MO 4 building blocks of post-transition main-group elements were reviewed. Most compounds in the alkali or alkaline-earth-d (0) TM-Se (IV) (or Te (IV))-O systems exhibit extended anionic architectures composed of distorted octahedra of (d (0)) TM cations and tellurite or selenite groups. The distortion of the octahedron is always away from the lone-pair cation, and some of them exhibit excellent second-order nonlinear optical properties due to the adductive effects of two types of bond polarizations. Because of the high coordination number of Ln (III) ions, most of compounds in the Ln-d (0) TM-Se (IV) (or Te (IV))-O systems are not second-harmonic-generation active; however, they are able to emit strong luminescence in the visible or near-IR region; also in most cases, the d (0) TM cations are in tetrahedral geometry and are well separated from selenite or tellurite groups. It is also interesting to note that the selenite group is normally "isolated", whereas the TeO x ( x = 3-5) can be polymerized into a variety of discrete polynuclear anionic clusters or extended architectures via Te-O-Te bridges.     

Pyrochlore formation, phase relations, and properties in the CaO-TiO2-(Nb,Ta)2O5 systems

Phase equilibria studies of the CaO:TiO₂:Nb₂O₅ system confirmed the formation of six ternary phases: pyrochlore (A₂B₂O₆O′), and five members of the (110) perovskite-slab series Ca_n(Ti,Nb)_nO_3n+2, with n=4.5, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Relations in the quasibinary Ca₂Nb₂O₇−CaTiO₃ system, which contains the Ca_n(Ti,Nb)_nO_3n+2 phases, were determined in detail. CaTiO₃ forms solid solutions with Ca₂Nb₂O₇ as well as CaNb₂O₆, resulting in a triangular single-phase perovskite region with corners CaTiO₃-70Ca₂Ti₂O₆:30Ca₂Nb₂O₇-80CaTiO₃:20CaNb₂O₆. A pyrochlore solid solution forms approximately along a line from 42.7:42.7:14.6 to 42.2:40.8:17.0 CaO:TiO₂:Nb₂O₅, suggesting formulas ranging from Ca_1.48Ti_1.48Nb_1.02O₇ to Ca_1.41Ti_1.37Nb_1.14O₇ (assuming filled oxygen sites), respectively. Several compositions in the CaO:TiO₂:Ta₂O₅ system were equilibrated to check its similarity to the niobia system in the pyrochlore region, which was confirmed. Structural refinements of the pyrochlores Ca_1.46Ti_1.38Nb_1.11O₇ and Ca_1.51Ti_1.32V_0.04Ta_1.10O₇ using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data are reported (Fd3m (#227), a=10.2301(2) Å (Nb), a=10.2383(2) Å (Ta)), with Ti mixing on the A-type Ca sites as well as the octahedral B-type sites. Identical displacive disorder was found for the niobate and tantalate pyrochlores: Ca occupies the ideal 16d position, but Ti is displaced 0.7 Å to partially occupy a ring of six 96g sites, thereby reducing its coordination number from eight to five (distorted trigonal bipyramidal). The O′ oxygens in both pyrochlores were displaced 0.48 Å from the ideal 8b position to a tetrahedral cluster of 32e sites. The refinement results also suggested that some of the Ti in the A-type positions may occupy distorted tetrahedra, as observed in some zirconolite-type phases. The Ca-Ti-(Nb,Ta)-O pyrochlores both exhibited dielectric relaxation similar to that observed for some Bi-containing pyrochlores, which also exhibit displacively disordered crystal structures. Observation of dielectric relaxation in the Ca-Ti-(Nb,Ta)-O pyrochlores suggests that it arises from the displacive disorder and not from the presence of polarizable lone-pair cations such as Bi³⁺.     

Ladders of a magnetically active element in the structure of the novel complex boride Ti9Fe2Ru18B8: synthesis, structure, bonding, and magnetism

Polycrystalline samples and single crystals of the complex boride Ti9Fe2Ru18B8 were synthesized by arc-melting the elements and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Ti9Fe2Ru18B8 is a new substitutional variant of the Zn11Rh18B8 structure type, space group P4/mbm (No. 127), whose remarkable feature is that it contains one-dimensional chains of dumbbells of magnetically active Fe atoms, which form "ladders" along the c axis. The Fe-Fe distance within a dumbbell is 2.489(2) A, and the Fe2-Fe2 distance between two dumbbells is 2.968(1) A; in contrast, the chains are well-separated from each other by distances of at least 11.217(2) A. According to the results of tight-binding electronic structure calculations, Ru-B and Ti-Ru contacts are responsible for the structural robustness, while Fe-Fe interactions influence the magnetic behavior. According to magnetization measurements, Ti9Fe2Ru18B8 orders ferromagnetically between 10 and approximately 200 K. A model for ferromagnetism in this ladder-based structure identifies ferromagnetic coupling among neighboring spin-triplet Fe2 dimers along the c axis as the origin of the magnetic behavior.     

ITINERANT MAGNETISM IN ULTRATHIN METALLIC FILMS

This paper addresses the question: “How do we define a two-dimensional itinerant magnet?” Results are presented indicating a cross-over from three-dimensional (3D) to two-dimensional (2D) behavior at a finite-size film thickness. It is argued that quantization of the electronic states in ultrathin metallic films dictate this behavior. Data from a broad range of epitaxial ferromagnetic films grown on different metallic substrates suggest a cross-over into just two classes of 2D behavior, viz 2D Ising model in the presence of uniaxial surface anisotropy and finite-size lattice 2D XY model behavior in films in which the preferred direction of magnetization lies in-plane. In this ultrathin film 2D limit, the Curie temperature falls rapidly to zero as the thickness approaches a single monolayer due to the sudden onset of disordered microdomains.     

Tighter Confinement Increases Selectivity of d-Glucose Isomerization Toward l-Sorbose in Titanium Zeolites

Aqueous-phase isomerization of d -glucose to d -fructose and l -sorbose is catalyzed in parallel by Lewis acidic Ti sites in siliceous frameworks. Glucose isomerization rates (per Ti, 373 K) are undetectable when Ti sites are confined within mesoporous voids (Ti-MCM-41, TiO₂-SiO₂) and increase to detectable values when Ti sites are confined within the smaller 12-membered ring (12-MR) micropores of Ti-Beta. Isomerization rates decrease to lower values (by ≈20×) with further decreases in micropore size as Ti sites are confined within 10-MR pores (Ti-MFI, Ti-CON), likely because of intrapore reactant diffusion restrictions, and reach undetectable values within the 8-MR pores of Ti-CHA as size exclusion prevents glucose from accessing active sites. Remarkably, the selectivity toward l -sorbose over d -fructose increases systematically as spatial constraints around Ti sites become tighter, and is >10 on Ti-MFI. These findings demonstrate the marked influence of confinement around Ti active sites on the selectivity between parallel stereoselective sugar isomerization pathways.