Evidence for the direct ejection of clusters from alkali-halides during laser vaporization

We have studied the formation of clusters of alkali halides during laser vaporization. Measurements of the abundances of cluster ions produced by several different source configurations indicate that clusters are ejected directly from the source sample and do not necessarily grow from an atomic or molecular vapor. Using samples consisting of mixed alkali halide powders, we have found that unalloyed clusters are easily produced in a source that prevents growth from occurring after the clusters leave the sample surface. Melting the sample or encouraging growth after vaporization lead to the production of alloyed cluster species. We also obtain information about the relative binding energies for substituted halogen ions bound to alkali halide clusters.     

Electronic and geometric stabilities of clusters with transition metal encapsulated by silicon

Silicon clusters mixed with a transition metal atom, MSin, were generated by a double-laser vaporization method, and the electronic and geometric stabilities for the resulting clusters with transition metal encapsulated by silicon were examined experimentally. By means of a systematic doping with transition metal atoms of groups 3, 4, and 5 (M = Sc, Y, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, and Ta), followed by changes of charge states, we explored the use of an electronic closing of a silicon caged cluster and variations in its cavity size to facilitate metal-atom encapsulation. Results obtained by mass spectrometry, anion photoelectron spectroscopy, and adsorption reactivity toward H2O show that the neutral cluster doped with a group 4 atom features an electronic and a geometric closing at n = 16. The MSi(16) cluster with a group 4 atom undergoes an electronic change in (i) the number of valence electrons when the metal atom is substituted by the neighboring metals with a group 3 or 5 atom and in (ii) atomic radii with the substitution of the same group elements of Zr and Hf. The reactivity of a halogen atom with the MSi(16) clusters reveals that VSi(16)F forms a superatom complex with ionic bonding.     

Infrared Spectra,Structures and Bonding of Binuclear Transition Metal Carbonyl Cluster Ions

Binuclear transition metal carbonyl clusters serve as the simplest models in understanding metal-metal and ligand bonding that are important organometallic chemistry catalysis. Binuclear first row transition metal carbonyl ions are produced via a pulsed laser vaporization/supersonic expansion cluster ion source in the gas phase. These ions are studied by mass-selected infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the carbonyl stretching frequency region. Density functional theory calculations have been performed on the geometric structures and vibrational spectra of the carbonyl ions. Their geometric and electronic structures are determined by comparison of the experimental IR spectra with the simulated spectra. The structure and the metal-metal and metal-CO bonding of both saturated and unsaturated homonuclear as well as heteronuclear carbonyl cluster cations and anions are discussed.     

Making and breaking of small water clusters: A combined quantum chemical and molecular dynamics approach

We present a combined quantum chemical and molecular dynamics study of cyclic and noncyclic water n-mers ([(H₂O]_n, n = 2–6) at four different temperatures and showcase that the dynamics of small water clusters can reproduce the known properties of bulk water reasonably well. We investigate the making and breaking of the water clusters by computing the hydrogen bond strengths, average lifetimes, and relative stabilities, which are important to understand the complex solution dynamics. We compare the behavior of water clusters in the gas phase and in the solution phase as well as the variation in the properties as a function of cluster size and highlight the notably more interesting cluster dynamics of the water trimer when compared to the other water clusters. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The structure of liquid methanol.

A combination of density functional calculations of molecular clusters with a quantum cluster equilibrium (QCE) model provides evidence that liquid methanol is dominated by cyclic and/or lasso structures. Only cluster populations including these structures fit the measured thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties, such as heat of vaporization, heat capacity, NMR chemical shifts, and quadrupole coupling constants. On the other hand, cluster populations comprising open-chain structures fail to reach the experimental values: the heat of vaporization is about 10 kJ mol(-1) too low, and the proton chemical shift is insufficiently downfield-shifted by about 1 ppm.     

Matrix suppression and analyte suppression effects of quaternary ammonium salts in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry: an investigation of suppression mechanism

In the matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) analysis of some quaternary ammonium salts (QASs), very clean spectra of the quaternary ammonium ions were recorded with a strong matrix suppression effect (MSE). The QASs also showed a considerable analyte suppression effect (ASE). It was demonstrated that the MSE and ASE of the QASs can be explained well by the cluster ionization model. According to this model, MALDI ions are formed from charged matrix/analyte clusters. Various analyte ions and matrix ions might coexist in the cluster, and they will compete for the limited number of net charges available. If enough quaternary ammonium ions are present in the cluster, they will take away the net charges, thus resulting in the MSE and ASE. Our results also suggest that ‘the cluster ionization model’ is not in conflict with ‘the theory of ionization via secondary gas‐phase reactions’. The initial MALDI ions produced from charged matrix/analyte clusters will collide with other molecules or ions in the MALDI plume. Depending on the properties of the initial ions and the composition of the MALDI plume, secondary gas‐phase reactions might result from these collisions. The final ions observed are the combined results of ‘cluster ionization’ and ‘ionization via secondary gas‐phase reactions’. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemically assisted release of transition metals in graphite vaporizers for atomic spectrometry

The processes associated with the vaporization of microgram samples and modifiers in a graphite tube ET AAS were investigated by the example of transition metals. The vapor absorption spectra and vaporization behavior of μg-amounts Cd, Zn, Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn and Cr were studied using the UV spectrometer with CCD detector, coupled with a continuum radiation source. The pyrocoated, Ta or W lined tubes, with Ar or He as internal gases, and filter furnace were employed in the comparative experiments. It was found that the kinetics of atomic vapor release changed depending on the specific metal–substrate–gas combination; fast vaporization at the beginning was followed by slower ‘tailing.’ The absorption continuum, overlapped by black body radiation at longer wavelengths, accompanied the fast vaporization mode for all metals, except Cd and Zn. The highest intensity of the continuum was observed in the pyrocoated tube with Ar. For Cu and Ag the molecular bands overlapped the absorption continuum; the continuum and bands were suppressed in the filter furnace. It is concluded that the exothermal interaction of sample vapor with the material of the tube causes the energy evolution in the gas phase. The emitted heat is dispersed near the tube wall in the protective gas and partially transferred back to the surface of the sample, thus facilitating the vaporization. The increased vapor flow causes over-saturation and gas-phase condensation in the absorption volume at some distance from the wall, where the gas temperature is not affected by the reaction. The condensation is accompanied by the release of phase transition energy via black body radiation and atomic emission. The particles of condensate and molecular clusters cause the scattering of light and molecular absorption; slow decomposition of the products of the sample vapor–substrate reaction produces the ‘tailing’ of atomic absorption signal. The interaction of graphite with metal vapor or oxygen, formed in the decomposition of metal oxide, is the most probable source of chemical energy, which facilitates the vaporization. Intensity of the process depends on chemical properties of the sample and substrate and efficiency of mass and heat transfer by the protective gas. The discussed mechanism of chemically assisted vapor release signifies the energy exchange between all participants of the vaporization process in ET AAS including the matrix, modifier, purge gas and analyte. The finding contributes in the ET AAS theory regarding the mechanisms of vaporization and mass transfer in the presence of matrix and modifiers.     

Infrared spectroscopy of niobium oxide cluster cations in a molecular beam: identifying the cluster structures

Infrared spectra of niobium oxide cluster cations are measured via IR multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy in the 400-1650 cm(-1) region. The cluster cations are obtained directly from a laser vaporization source and irradiated with the infrared light emitted by a free electron laser. For those oxide clusters that fragment after excitation, the IR spectra are recorded by measuring the cluster intensity changes as a function of the IR wavelength. The spectra of all examined oxide clusters exhibit two main absorption features that can be assigned to vibrations of terminal (Nb=O) or bridging (Nb-O-Nb) oxide groups. For selected clusters DFT calculations at the B3LYP/LACVP* level have been performed and the calculated vibrational spectra are compared to the experimental data to identify the gas phase structures of the clusters.     

Assessment of relative stabilities of positional isomers of polyhedral heteronuclear clusters via a simplified method of bond energy calculations based on tight-binding approach and adjacent matrix method: applications to binary icosahedral clusters

A new and simple method for assessing the relative stabilities of various positional isomers of a given heteronuclear cluster is described. The method is based on a tight-binding approach in conjunction with an adjacent matrix methodology (TBAM). The usefulness of the method is illustrated by bond energy calculations of a number of binary icosahedral clusters, including noncentered icosahedral A(n)B(12)(-)n clusters comprising main-group elements B, C, N, and S as well as B- and A-centered icosahedral A(n)B(13)(-)n clusters that consist of transition metals, Au, Ag, Ni, and Pt atoms. The latter results are compared with the previously reported molecular mechanics calculations based on Lennard-Jones potential and with experimental results, whenever possible. The trends of the total bond energies obtained by the two methods are nearly parallel in all cases, indicating that the relative stabilities predicted by the two methods follow the same order. The TBAM approach provides a simple and efficient way of predicting the relative stabilities of various positional isomers of a given cluster, particularly for clusters where the number of positional isomers is so large that it cannot be handled manually. The total bond energies exhibit a stepwise progression. Each step is characterized by a set of A-A, B-B, and A-B bonds which uniquely determines the total bond energy and, hence, the stability. The step formation implies that positional isomers of a given cluster geometry can be categorized by sets of numbers of A-A, B-B, and A-B bonds, or simply the numbers of the minority (either A-A or B-B) bonds. Three site preference rules, the strong-bond rule, the heterobond rule, and the big-hole rule, were formulated based on these model calculations. These rules are useful in rationalizing and/or predicting the relative stabilities of various positional isomers of a given cluster geometry.     

团簇尺寸对奇数和偶数磷团簇离子信号强度差异的影响

磷原子形成的奇数和偶数团簇离子的信号存在明显的强度差异. 当团簇离子尺寸n>25时, 奇数团簇离子的信号强度一般会远远超过其邻近的偶数团簇离子. 为更好地理解团簇尺寸对这一现象的影响, 本文通过真空中激光溅射红磷的方法, 利用质谱对磷团簇离子进行了研究和分析. 结果表明这种方法可以产生较大尺寸(n~500)的磷团簇离子. 进一步对团簇离子的强度分布进行分析表明: 随着正负离子团簇尺寸的增加, 奇/偶数离子强度差异都会逐渐减小. 根据它们的变化趋势, 可以预测: 当n>1000时, 奇/偶数离子强度交替的现象可能会消失. 这一结果正反映出团簇在从原子演变到凝聚态物质过程中的桥梁作用.     

Mn/Se,MnO2/Se和Mn/SeO2体系形成的团簇离子的质谱研究

用飞行时间质谱法研究了激光直接溅射Mn/Se混合样品产生的二元团簇、团簇的光解行为及溅射MnO₂/Se和Mn/SeO₂样品产生的团簇正负离子。在Mn-Se二元团簇中,(Muse)_n⁺是正离子的主要组分,[(Muse)nSe]^-是负离子的主要组分。当n<5时,(Muse)_n⁺的紫外光解有多种通道;n≥5时光解以剥落MuSe方式进行。激光直接溅射MnO₂/Se,Mn/SeO₂两种体系产生的正负离子极为相似,符合团簇的气相聚合生长机理。正离子中(Mno)_n⁺是主要组分,负离子中Se_n^-,(Se_nO)^-和(SéO₃)^-是主要组分。     

Sequential reactions of silicon clusters with SiD4: constrained heterogeneous nucleation of deuterated silicon particles

The sequential clustering reactions of gas phase silicon cluster ions are ideally suited for studying heterogeneous nucleation of silicon particles. Stepwise reactions of silicon cluster ions with silane have been observed which lead to growth of larger deuterated silicon clusters. Extensive information is obtained about their exothermic gas phase reaction rates and product distributions as a function of cluster size and degree of hydrogenation. What is found is that each size of silicon cluster exhibits a unique pattern of growth. Furthermore, nearly all of the silicon clusters encounter chemical constraints to rapid nucleation. These constraints are a consequence of specific electronic and structural requirements in the chemical reactions. The nature of these requirements are deduced using experimental results in concert with ab initio electronic structure theoretical calculations of the energetics and structures of various species.     

Photodissociation of vanadium, niobium, and tantalum oxide cluster cations

Transition-metal oxide clusters of the form M(n)O(m) (+)(M=V,Nb,Ta) are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle cluster source and detected with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Consistent with earlier work, cluster oxides for each value of n produce only a limited number of stoichiometries, where m>n. The cluster cations are mass selected and photodissociated using the second (532 nm) or third (355 nm) harmonic of a Nd:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser. All of these clusters require multiphoton conditions for dissociation, consistent with their expected strong bonding. Dissociation occurs by either elimination of oxygen or by fission, repeatedly producing clusters having the same specific stoichiometries. In oxygen elimination, vanadium species tend to lose units of O(2), whereas niobium and tantalum lose O atoms. For each metal increment n, oxygen elimination proceeds until a terminal stoichiometry is reached. Clusters having this stoichiometry do not eliminate more oxygen, but rather undergo fission, producing smaller M(n)O(m) (+) species. The smaller clusters produced as fission products represent the corresponding terminal stoichiometries for those smaller n values. The terminal stoichiometries identified are the same for V, Nb, and Ta oxide cluster cations. This behavior suggests that these clusters have stable bonding networks at their core, but additional excess oxygen at their periphery. These combined results determine that M(2)O(4) (+), M(3)O(7) (+), M(4)O(9) (+), M(5)O(12) (+), M(6)O(14) (+), and M(7)O(17) (+) have the greatest stability for V, Nb, and Ta oxide clusters.     

Structural and electronic properties of TaSi(n) (n=1-13) clusters: a relativistic density functional investigation

The TaSi(n) (n=1-13) clusters with doublet, quartet, and sextet spin configurations have been systematically investigated by a relativistic density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation available in Amsterdam density functional program. The total bonding energies, equilibrium geometries, Mulliken populations as well as Hirshfeld charges of TaSi(n) (n=1-13) clusters are calculated and presented. The emphasis on the stabilities and electronic properties is discussed. The most stable structures of the small TaSi(n) (n=1-6) clusters and the evolutional rule of low-lying geometries of the larger TaSi(n) (n=7-13) clusters are obtained. Theoretical results indicate that the most stable structure of TaSi(n) (n=1-6) clusters keeps the similar framework as the most stable structure of Si(n+1) clusters except for TaSi(3) cluster. The Ta atom in the lowest-energy TaSi(n) (n=1-13) isomers occupies a gradual sinking site, and the site moves from convex, to flatness, and to concave with the number of Si atom varying from 1 to 13. When n=12, the Ta atom in TaSi(12) cluster completely falls into the center of the Si frame, and a cagelike TaSi(12) geometry is formed. Meanwhile, the net Mulliken and Hirsheld populations of the Ta atom in the TaSi(n) (n=1-13) clusters vary from positive to negative, manifesting that the charges in TaSi(n) (n>/=12) clusters transfer from Si atoms to Ta atom. Additionally, the contribution of Si-Si and Si-Ta interactions to the stability of TaSi(n) clusters is briefly discussed. Furthermore, the investigations on atomic averaged binding energies and fragmentation energies show that the TaSi(n) (n=2,3,5,7,10,11,12) clusters have enhanced stabilities. Compared with pure silicon clusters, a universal narrowing of highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap in TaSi(n) clusters is found.     

Experimental and theoretical studies of reactions of neutral vanadium and tantalum oxide clusters with NO and NH3

Reactions of neutral vanadium and tantalum oxide clusters with NO, NH(3), and an NO/NH(3) mixture in a fast flow reactor are investigated by time of flight mass spectrometry and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Single photon ionization through a 46.9 nm (26.5 eV) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) laser is employed to detect both neutral cluster distributions and reaction products. Association products VO(3)NO and V(2)O(5)NO are detected for V(m)O(n) clusters reacting with pure NO, and reaction products, TaO(3,4)(NO)(1,2), Ta(2)O(5)NO, Ta(2)O(6)(NO)(1-3), and Ta(3)O(8)(NO)(1,2) are generated for Ta(m)O(n) clusters reacting with NO. In both instances, oxygen-rich clusters are the active metal oxide species for the reaction M(m)O(n)+NO→M(m)O(n)(NO)(x). Both V(m)O(n) and Ta(m)O(n) cluster systems are very active with NH(3). The main products of the reactions with NH(3) result from the adsorption of one or two NH(3) molecules on the respective clusters. A gas mixture of NO:NH(3) (9:1) is also added into the fast flow reactor: the V(m)O(n) cluster system forms stable, observable clusters with only NH(3) and no V(m)O(n)(NO)(x)(NH(3))(y) species are detected; the Ta(m)O(n) cluster system forms stable, observable mixed clusters, Ta(m)O(n)(NO)(x)(NH(3))(y), as well as Ta(m)O(n)(NO)(x) and Ta(m)O(n)(NH(3))(y) individual clusters, under similar conditions. The mechanisms for the reactions of neutral V(m)O(n) and Ta(m)O(n) clusters with NO/NH(3) are explored via DFT calculations. Ta(m)O(n) clusters form stable complexes based on the coadsorption of NO and NH(3). V(m)O(n) clusters form weakly bound complexes following the reaction pathway toward end products N(2)+H(2)O without barrier. The calculations give an interpretation of the experimental data that is consistent with the condensed phase reactivity of V(m)O(n) catalyst and suggest the formation of intermediates in the catalytic chemistry.     

Thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids-a cluster approach

We describe a method for calculating thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids by using standard quantum statistical thermodynamics as characterized by ab initio techniques. We review briefly how thermochemical properties for different sized clusters of ionic liquids are calculated by standard ab initio programs. The cluster partition functions allow one to calculate energies, enthalpies and Gibbs energies. Assuming that the ionic liquid exists exclusively as isolated ion-pairs in the gaseous phase and regarding the largest clusters as possible liquid structures, we could estimate vapor pressures, enthalpies of vaporization and entropies of vaporization. For possible boiling points it is shown how they vary with pressure.     

氰化钾团簇的结构和形成机理研究

利用激光气化铁氰化钾或亚铁氰化钾并利用飞行时间质谱检测方法对氰化钾团簇的形成机理进行了研究，结果发现：团簇正离子可归属为［Ｋ（ＫＣＮ）＿ｎ］￣＋，ｎ＝０～３７，它们的幻数为ｎ＝４、１３、２２、３７；团族负离子可归属为［（ＫＣＮ）＿ｎＣＮ］￣－＝，ｎ＝０～１３，它们的幻数为ｎ＝４、１３。这些幻数与氯化钠等碱金属卤化物团簇体系完全一致。这表明：它们的团簇结构应该是相同的，即１×３×３（ｎ＝４）、３×３×３（ｎ＝１３）、３×３×５（ｎ＝２２）、３×５×５（ｎ＝３７）结构。因此氰化钾晶体的初期形成过程也应采取ＮａＣｌ型结构的增长途径。在激光气化产生的等离子体中，正、负离子与中性团簇的碰撞增长反应、正离子与负离子的复合反应以及团簇的亚稳态解离反应造成了团簇离子的不同丰度分布。氰化钾团簇中稳定立方体结构的产生决定了幻数的出现。     

The effect of surface conditions on the activation of FeTi

It is very important to know the changes in the surface conditions of FeTi after heat treatment and to identify the sites where hydrogen is chemisorbed in order to understand the activation mechanism of the FeTi hydrogenation reaction. FeTi powder was mixed with various metal powders and the hydrogen absorption curves were observed after heat treatment at various temperatures. It is believed that the chemisorbing sites are iron clusters which are formed during the heat treatment process by a segregation reaction. Iron clusters are easily contaminated by the small amount of oxygen in the atmosphere during heat treatments and thus the activation of the compound is retarded. The activation of the FeTi alloys thus involves two competing processes: the generation of iron clusters and the contamination of the iron by oxygen. If FeTi powder is mixed with powdered copper or nickel, which have lower oxide stabilities than that of iron, no activation is achieved, regardless of the heat treatment conditions. Elements with higher oxide stabilities, such as aluminium, silicon, manganese and magnesium, promote the activation of FeTi. In particular, manganese and magnesium, which can chemisorb hydrogen, markedly increase the activation.     

Cluster-assembled materials based on M12N12 (M = Al, Ga) fullerene-like clusters

We report the results of density functional theory calculations on cluster-assembled materials based on M(12)N(12) (M = Al, Ga) fullerene-like clusters. Our results show that the M(12)N(12) fullerene-like structure with six isolated four-membered rings (4NRs) and eight six-membered rings (6NRs) has a T(h) symmetry and a large HOMO-LUMO gap, indicating that the M(12)N(12) cluster would be ideal building blocks for the synthesis of cluster-assembled materials. Via the coalescence of M(12)N(12) building blocks, we find that the M(12)N(12) clusters can bind into stable assemblies by either 6NR or 4NR face coalescence, which enables the construction of rhombohedral or cubic nanoporous framework of varying porosity. The rhombohedral-MN phase is energetically more favorable than the cubic-MN phase. The M(12)N(12) fullerene-like structures in both phases are maintained and the M-N bond lengths between M(12)N(12) monomers are slightly larger than that in isolated M(12)N(12) clusters and the bulk wurtzite phases. The band analysis of both phases reveals that they are all wide-gap semiconductors. Because of the nanoporous character of these phases, they could be used for gas storage, heterogeneous catalysis, filtration and so on.