Kinetic Monte Carlo model of charge transport in hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3))

The mobility of electrons injected into iron oxide minerals via abiotic and biotic electron transfer processes is one of the key factors that control the reductive dissolution of such minerals. Building upon our previous work on the computational modeling of elementary electron transfer reactions in iron oxide minerals using ab initio electronic structure calculations and parametrized molecular dynamics simulations, we have developed and implemented a kinetic Monte Carlo model of charge transport in hematite that integrates previous findings. The model aims to simulate the interplay between electron transfer processes for extended periods of time in lattices of increasing complexity. The electron transfer reactions considered here involve the IIIII valence interchange between nearest-neighbor iron atoms via a small polaron hopping mechanism. The temperature dependence and anisotropic behavior of the electrical conductivity as predicted by our model are in good agreement with experimental data on hematite single crystals. In addition, we characterize the effect of electron polaron concentration and that of a range of defects on the electron mobility. Interaction potentials between electron polarons and fixed defects (iron substitution by divalent, tetravalent, and isovalent ions and iron and oxygen vacancies) are determined from atomistic simulations, based on the same model used to derive the electron transfer parameters, and show little deviation from the Coulombic interaction energy. Integration of the interaction potentials in the kinetic Monte Carlo simulations allows the electron polaron diffusion coefficient and density and residence time around defect sites to be determined as a function of polaron concentration in the presence of repulsive and attractive defects. The decrease in diffusion coefficient with polaron concentration follows a logarithmic function up to the highest concentration considered, i.e., approximately 2% of iron(III) sites, whereas the presence of repulsive defects has a linear effect on the electron polaron diffusion. Attractive defects are found to significantly affect electron polaron diffusion at low polaron to defect ratios due to trapping on nanosecond to microsecond time scales. This work indicates that electrons can diffuse away from the initial site of interfacial electron transfer at a rate that is consistent with measured electrical conductivities, but that the presence of certain kinds of defects will severely limit the mobility of donated electrons.     

Symmetry-switching molecular Fe(O2)n(+) clusters

Experimental and theoretical studies based on mass spectrometry, collision-induced dissociation, and ab initio calculations are performed on the formation and stability of FeO(n)(+) clusters, as well as on their structural, electronic, and magnetic properties. In the mass spectra, clusters with an even number of oxygen atoms show increased stability, most prominently for FeO(10)(+). The extra stability of this cluster is confirmed by measurements of fragmentation cross sections through crossed molecular beam experiments. In addition, the calculations indicate a structural phase transition at this size, and most importantly, the FeO(n)(+) clusters show unique magnetic features, exhibiting isoenergetic low-spin (LS) and high-spin (HS) ground states. In the LS state, the magnetic moments of the O atoms adopt an antiferromagnetic alignment with respect to the magnetic moment of Fe(+), whereas in the HS state, the alignment is ferromagnetic. FeO(10)(+) is the largest thermodynamically stable complex, with the highest magnetic moment among the FeO(n)(+) clusters (13 μ(B) in HS).     

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of the structure and proton transport dynamics of methanol-water solutions

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are employed to study the structural and proton transport properties of methanol-water mixtures. Structural characteristics analyzed at two different methanol mole fractions (X(M) = 0.25 and X(M) = 0.5) reveal enhanced structuring of water as the methanol mole fraction increases in agreement with recent neutron diffraction experiments. The simulations reveal the existence of separate hydrogen-bonded water and methanol networks, also in agreement with the neutron diffraction data. The addition of a single proton to the X(M) = 0.5 mixture leads to an anomalous structural or Grotthuss-type diffusion mechanism of the charge defect in which water-to-water, methanol-to-water, and water-to-methanol proton transfer reactions play the dominant role with methanol-to-methanol transfers being much less significant. Unlike in bulk water, where coordination number fluctuations drive the proton transport process, suppression of the coordination number of waters in the first solvation shell of the defect diminish the importance of coordination number fluctuations as a driving force in the structural diffusion process. The charge defect is found to reside preferentially at the interface between water and methanol networks. The length of the ab initio molecular dynamics run (approximately 120 ps), allowed the diffusion constant of the charge defect to be computed, yielding a value of D = 4.2 x 10(-5) cm2/s when deuterium masses are assigned to all protons in the system. The relation of this value to excess proton diffusion in bulk water is discussed. Finally, a kinetic theory is introduced to identify the relevant time scales in the proton transfer/transport process.     

Lattice dynamics to trigger low temperature oxygen mobility in solid oxide ion conductors

SrFeO(2.5) and SrCoO(2.5) are able to intercalate oxygen in a reversible topotactic redox reaction already at room temperature to form the cubic perovskites Sr(Fe,Co)O(3), while CaFeO(2.5) can only be oxidized under extreme conditions. To explain this significant difference in low temperature oxygen mobility, we investigated the homologous SrFeO(2.5) and CaFeO(2.5) by temperature dependent oxygen isotope exchange as well as by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) studies, combined with ab initio (DFT) molecular dynamical calculations. From (18)O/(16)O isotope exchange experiments we proved free oxygen mobility to be realized in SrFeO(x) already below 600 K. We have also evidence that low temperature oxygen mobility relies on the existence of specific, low energy lattice modes, which trigger and amplify oxygen mobility in solids. We interpret the INS data together with the DFT-based molecular dynamical simulation results on SrFeO(2.5) and CaFeO(2.5) in terms of an enhanced, phonon-assisted, low temperature oxygen diffusion for SrFeO(3-x) as a result of the strongly reduced Fe-O-Fe bond strength of the apical oxygen atoms in the FeO(6) octahedra along the stacking axis. This dynamically triggered phenomenon leads to an easy migration of the oxide ions into the open vacancy channels and vice versa. The decisive impact of lattice dynamics, giving rise to structural instabilities in oxygen deficient perovskites, especially with brownmillerite-type structure, is demonstrated, opening new concepts for the design and tailoring of low temperature oxygen ion conductors.     

Reaction of hydroquinone with hematite; II. Calculated electron-transfer rates and comparison to the reductive dissolution rate

The rate of reaction of hematite with quinones and the quinone moieties of larger molecules may be an important factor in limiting the rate of reductive dissolution of hematite, especially by iron-reducing bacteria. It is possible that the rate of reductive dissolution of hematite in the presence of excess hydroquinone at pH 2.5 may be limited by the electron-transfer rate. Here, a reductive dissolution rate was measured and compared to electron-transfer rates calculated using Marcus theory. An experimental rate constant was measured at 9.5 x 10 (-6) s(-1) and the reaction order with respect to the hematite concentration was found to be 1.1. Both the dissolution rate and the reaction order of hematite concentration compare well with previous measurements. Of the Marcus theory calculations, the inner-sphere part of the reorganization energy and the electronic coupling matrix element for hydroquinone self-exchange electron transfer are calculated using ab initio methods. The second order self-exchange rate constant was calculated to be 1.3 x 10 (7) M(-1)s(-1), which compares well with experimental measurements. Using previously published data calculated for hexaquairon(III)/(II), the calculated electron-transfer rate for the cross reaction with hydroquinone also compares well to experimental measurements. A hypothetical reductive dissolution rate is calculated using the first-order electron-transfer rate constant and the concentration of total adsorbed quinone. Three different models of the hematite surface are used as well as multiple estimates for the reduction potential, the surface charge, and the adsorption density of hydroquinone. No calculated dissolution rate is less than five orders of magnitude faster than the experimentally measured one.     

A kinetic study of the reactions FeO+ + O, Fe+.N2 + O, Fe+.O2 + O and FeO+ + CO: implications for sporadic E layers in the upper atmosphere

These gas-phase reactions were studied by pulsed laser ablation of an iron target to produce Fe(+) in a fast flow tube, with detection of the ions by quadrupole mass spectrometry. Fe(+).N(2) and Fe(+).O(2) were produced by injecting N(2) and O(2), respectively, into the flow tube. FeO(+) was produced from Fe(+) by addition of N(2)O, or by ligand-switching from Fe(+).N(2) following the addition of atomic O. The following rate coefficients were measured: k(FeO(+) + O --> Fe(+) + O(2), 186-294 K) = (3.2 +/- 1.5) x 10(-11); k(Fe(+).N(2) + O --> FeO(+)+ N(2), 294 K) = (4.6 +/- 2.5) x 10(-10); k(Fe(+).O(2) + O --> FeO(+) + O(2), 294 K) = (6.3 +/- 2.7) x 10(-11); and k(FeO(+) + CO --> Fe(+) + CO(2), 294 K) = (1.59 +/- 0.34) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), where the quoted uncertainties are a combination of the 1sigma standard errors in the kinetic data and the systematic experimental errors. The surprisingly slow reaction between FeO(+) and O is examined using ab initio quantum calculations of the relevant potential energy surfaces. The importance of this reaction for controlling the lifetime of sporadic E layers is then demonstrated using a model of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere.     

Charge transport in metal oxides: a theoretical study of hematite alpha-Fe2O3

Transport of conduction electrons and holes through the lattice of alpha-Fe(2)O(3) (hematite) is modeled as a valence alternation of iron cations using ab initio electronic structure calculations and electron transfer theory. Experimental studies have shown that the conductivity along the (001) basal plane is four orders of magnitude larger than the conductivity along the [001] direction. In the context of the small polaron model, a cluster approach was used to compute quantities controlling the mobility of localized electrons and holes, i.e., the reorganization energy and the electronic coupling matrix element that enter Marcus' theory. The calculation of the electronic coupling followed the generalized Mulliken-Hush approach using the complete active space self-consistent field method. Our findings demonstrate an approximately three orders of magnitude anisotropy in both electron and hole mobility between directions perpendicular and parallel to the c axis, in good accord with experimental data. The anisotropy arises from the slowness of both electron and hole mobilities across basal oxygen planes relative to that within iron bilayers between basal oxygen planes. Interestingly, for elementary reaction steps along either of the directions considered, there is only less than one order of magnitude difference in mobility between electrons and holes, in contrast to accepted classical arguments. Our findings indicate that the most important quantity underlying mobility differences is the electronic coupling, albeit the reorganization energy contributes as well. The large values computed for the electronic coupling suggest that charge transport reactions in hematite are adiabatic in nature. The electronic coupling is found to depend on both the superexchange interaction through the bridging oxygen atoms and the d-shell electron spin coupling within the Fe-Fe donor-acceptor pair, while the reorganization energy is essentially independent of the electron spin coupling.     

FT-IR,XPS, and DFT Study of Adsorption Mechanism of Sodium Acetohydroxamate onto Goethite or Hematite

The adsorption of sodium acetohydroxamate on the goethite or hematite surface was investi-gated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and periodic plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The core-level shifts and charge transfers of the adsorbed surface iron sites calculated by DFT with periodic in-terfacial structures were confronted to the X-ray photoemission experiments. FT-IR results reveal that the interfacial structure of sodium acetohydroxamate adsorbed on the goethite or hematite surface may be assigned to a ve-membered ring complex. In agreement with the adsorption energies determined by the DFT calculations, a ve-membered ring complex is formed via bonding of one surface iron atom of goethite (101) or (100) to both oxygen atoms of hydroxamate group, and these two oxygen atoms of the hydroxamate group correspond-ingly attach to two neighboring iron atoms of the goethite surface. But a ve-membered ring complex between two oxygen atoms of the hydroxamate group and one surface iron atom of hematite (001) is formed without any extra attachments. The calculated core-level shifts of Fe2p for the interfacial structures are correspondingly in good agreement with the experimental observed one, which con rmed the reliability of the calculated results.     

Imaging water dissociation on TiO2(110): Evidence for inequivalent geminate OH groups

Identical regions of partially reduced TiO2(110) surfaces with bridge-bonded oxygen vacancy (BBO(V)) concentrations of approximately 10% ML (1 ML = 5.2 x 10(14) cm(-2)) were imaged using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) before and after dosing H2O at ambient temperature (approximately 300 K). Atomically resolved images confirm that H2O adsorbs dissociatively on the BBO(V) sites, producing two hydroxyl species, one positioned at BBO(V) and denoted OH(V) and the other, denoted OH(B), formed by protonation at either of the two nearest-neighbor bridge-bonded oxygen atoms. Hydrogen hopping along the [001] direction is observed at ambient temperature, with a strong preference for OH(B) (approximately 10x) hydrogen motion. This powerful imbalance demonstrates the inequality of OH(V) and OH(B) and suggests differences in their charge and/or binding configuration.     

Electronic and structural properties of Ti vacancies on the (001) surface of TiS2: theoretical scanning tunneling microscopy images

Various defects--either bright or dark triangular defects--are observed on the (001) titanium disulfide surface by ultrahigh 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, the authors have performed ab initio periodic linear combination of atomic orbitals-generalized gradient approximation (LCAO-GGA) calculations on (5x5) and (4x4) biperiodic supercells to model the electronic and geometrical involvements of Ti vacancy. The relaxed atomic structures of each system and the wave-function character of the defect states are carefully analyzed before the theoretical scanning tunneling microscopy images are generated 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 electronic states of the vacancy at the Fermi level are mainly developed on the atomic orbitals of the first sulfur neighbors at the surface, leading to bright triangular zones on the simulated image.     

Time-dependent density functional theory Ehrenfest dynamics: collisions between atomic oxygen and graphite clusters

An ab initio direct Ehrenfest dynamics method with time-dependent density functional theory is introduced and applied to collisions of 5 eV oxygen atoms and ions with graphite clusters. Collisions at three different sites are simulated. Kinetic energy transfer from the atomic oxygen to graphite local vibrations is observed and electron-nuclear coupling resulting in electronic excitation within the graphite surface as well as alteration of the atomic charge is first reported in this paper. The three oxygen species studied, O(3P), O-(2P), and O+(4S), deposit different amounts of energy to the surface, with the highest degree of damage to the pi conjugation of the cluster produced by the atomic oxygen cation. Memory of the initial charge state is not lost as the atom approaches, in contrast to the usual assumption.     

Iron monoxide photodissociation

The photodissociation of (56)FeO was studied by means of the velocity map imaging technique. A molecular beam of iron atoms and iron monoxide molecules was created using an electrical discharge with an iron electrode in a supersonic expansion of molecular oxygen. The ground state iron atom Fe((5)D(4)) and FeO concentrations in the molecular beam have been estimated. The dissociation energy of the FeO X (5)Delta ground electronic state was found to be D(0) (0)(FeO)=4.18+/-0.01 eV. The effective absorption cross section of FeO at 252.39 nm (vac), leading to the Fe((5)D(4))+O((3)P) dissociation channel, is approximately 1.2 x 10(-18) cm(2). A (1+1) resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization spectrum of (56)FeO in the region 39 550-39 580 cm(-1) with rotational structure has been observed, but not assigned. Angular distributions of Fe((5)D(4)) and Fe((5)D(3)) products for the channel FeO-->Fe((5)D(4,3))+O((3)P) have been measured at several points in the 210-260 nm laser light wavelength region. The anisotropy parameter varies strongly with wavelength for both channels.     

Adsorption of atomic and molecular oxygen on the LaMnO3(001) surface: ab initio supercell calculations and thermodynamics

We present and discuss the results of ab initio DFT plane-wave supercell calculations of the atomic and molecular oxygen adsorption and diffusion on the LaMnO(3) (001) surface which serves as a model material for a cathode of solid oxide fuel cells. The dissociative adsorption of O(2) molecules from the gas phase is energetically favorable on surface Mn ions even on a defect-free surface. The surface migration energy for adsorbed O ions is found to be quite high, 2.0 eV. We predict that the adsorbed O atoms could penetrate the electrode first plane when much more mobile surface oxygen vacancies (migration energy of 0.69 eV) approach the O ions strongly bound to the surface Mn ions. The formation of the O vacancy near the O atom adsorbed atop surface Mn ion leads to an increase of the O-Mn binding energy by 0.74 eV whereas the drop of this adsorbed O atom into a vacancy possesses no energy barrier. Ab initio thermodynamics predicts that at typical SOFC operation temperatures (approximately 1200 K) the MnO(2) (001) surface with adsorbed O atoms is the most stable in a very wide range of oxygen gas pressures (above 10(-2) atm).     

Electron delocalization in mixed-valence Keggin polyoxometalates. Ab initio calculation of the local effective transfer integrals and its consequences on the spin coupling

We present a quantitative evaluation of the influence of the electron transfer on the magnetic properties of mixed-valence polyoxometalates reduced by two electrons. For that purpose, we extract from valence-spectroscopy ab initio calculations on embedded fragments the value of the transfer integrals between W nearest-neighbor atoms in a mixed-valence alphaPW(12)O(40) polyoxowolframate Keggin anion. In contradiction with what is usually assumed, we show that the electron transfer between edge-sharing and corner-sharing WO(6) octahedra have very close values. Considering fragments of various ranges, we analyze the accuracy of calculations on fragments based on only two WO(5) pyramids which should allow a low cost general study of transfer parameters in polyoxometalates. Finally, these parameters are introduced in an extended Hubbard Hamiltonian that models the whole anion. It permits to prove that electron transfers induce a large energy gap between the singlet ground state and the lowest triplet states providing a clear explanation of the diamagnetic properties of the mixed-valence Keggin ions reduced by two electrons.     

Cu(II), Eu(III)单核、双核隔室配合物的XPS研究

用X射线光电子能谱(XPS)研究了Cu(II),Eu(III)和配体6,11-二甲基-7,10-二氮杂十六-5,11-二烯-2,4,13,15-四酮(H~4daaen)形成的单核、双核隔室配合物的电子结构和成键特性;观察到配体分子中有明显的电荷转移现象;并对Cu2p~3~/~2伴峰现象进行了分析。     

钛表面二氧化钛膜中氧空位点缺陷传输性能的电化学研究

"钛/TiO2氧化膜/溶液"界面电极体系的电化学性能主要决定于钛表面的TiO2氧化物膜.本文利用多种电化学技术,结合半导体物理的Mott-Schottky分析和Einstein方程,研究了金属钛在1.0mol·L-1HClO4溶液中表面半导体TiO2氧化膜的生长及氧化膜中氧空位点缺陷在外加电场作用下的传输性能,并根据离子性电荷传输与电子性电荷传输对电场变化响应时间之不同特点,确定氧化膜中点缺陷扩散系数.结果表明,电极电位或阳极析氧反应对稳态电流(iss)、氧化膜的阳极化常数(α)、膜中电场强度()、以及膜中氧空位点缺陷的扩散系数(D0)等重要物理化学参数,均有显著影响,并依据氧化膜中的结构变化进行分析.     

New model potentials for sulfur-copper(I) and sulfur-mercury(II) interactions in proteins: from ab initio to molecular dynamics

We have developed new force field and parameters for copper(I) and mercury(II) to be used in molecular dynamics simulations of metalloproteins. Parameters have been derived from fitting of ab initio interaction potentials calculated at the MP2 level of theory, and results compared to experimental data when available. Nonbonded parameters for the metals have been calculated from ab initio interaction potentials with TIP3P water. Due to high charge transfer between Cu(I) or Hg(II) and their ligands, the model is restricted to a linear coordination of the metal bonded to two sulfur atoms. The experimentally observed asymmetric distribution of metal ligand bond lengths (r) is accounted for by the addition of an anharmonic (r3) term in the potential. Finally, the new parameters and potential, introduced into the CHARMM force field, are tested in short molecular dynamics simulations of two metal thiolates fragments in water. (Brooks BR et al. J Comput Chem 1983, 4, 1987.1).     

The transformation of ferrihydrite into goethite or hematite, revisited

During the oxidation of iron, poorly crystallized phases are firstly formed: 2- and 6-line ferrihydrite, which presents for the last phase, a similarity with wustite FeO but also with hematite α-Fe₂O₃. Crystallization increases with time and the solid phase obtained is dependent on temperature and pH. Obviously, high temperature favours the formation of the oxide hematite α-Fe₂O₃. As for the pH factor, it is more complicated. Low and high values of pH (2-5 and 10-14) favour the formation of goethite α-FeOOH, while obtaining hematite is favoured at neutral pH (values around 7). Goethite or hematite are obtained either through a dissolution-crystallization process or in the solid state, through a topotactic transformation.Given the structural relationships observed between ferrihydrite and wustite and hematite, it is allowed to think that a structural continuity could exist between wustite Fe_(1−x)O and hematite via ferrihydrite.     

Ab Initio simulations of nonstoichiometric Cd(x)Te(1-x) liquids

We present ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations for Cd(x)Te(1-x) liquids where the composition is nonstoichiometric. The simulations are performed following Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics. The required forces are obtained from a solution of the Kohn-Sham equation using ab initio pseudopotentials. We consider stoichiometries of the form: Cd(x)Te(1-x), where x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8. For each composition of the melt, we consider a range of temperatures near the experimentally determined liquid temperatures. We examine the microstructural properties of the melt, the viscosity, and self-diffusion properties of the liquid as a function of the stoichiometry and temperature. We also perform an analysis of the distribution of the electronic density of states in these liquids. We find that structural changes in the local order, experimentally predicted to occur when the concentration of Cd is increased, are closely related to changes in the electronic properties of the melt.     

Ab initio and empirical defect modeling of LaMnO(3±δ) for solid oxide fuel cell cathodes

Sr doped LaMnO(3) is a perovskite widely used for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes. Therefore, there is significant interest in its defect chemistry. However, due to coupling of defect reactions and inadequate constraints of the defect reaction equilibrium constants obtained from thermogravimetry analysis, large discrepancies (up to 4 eV) exist in the literature for defect energetics for Sr doped LaMnO(3). In this work we demonstrate how ab initio energetics and empirical modelling can be combined to develop a defect model for LaMnO(3). Defect formation enthalpies, including concentration dependence due to defect interactions, are extracted from ab initio energies calculated at various defect concentrations. Defect formation entropies for the defect reactions in LaMnO(3) involving O(2-)(solid) ? ?O(2)(gas) + 2e(-) are shown to be accessible through combining the gas phase thermodynamics and simple models for the solid phase vibrational contributions. This simple treatment introduces a useful constraint on fitting defect formation entropies. The predicted defect concentrations from the model show good agreement with experimental oxygen nonstoichiometry vs. P(O(2)) for a wide range of temperatures (T = 873-1473 K), suggesting the effectiveness of the ab initio defect energetics in describing the defect chemistry of LaMnO(3). Further incorporating a temperature dependent charge disproportionation energy within 0.0-0.2 eV, the model is capable of describing both defect chemistry and oxygen tracer diffusivity of LaMnO(3). The model suggests an important role for defect interactions which are typically excluded from LaMnO(3) defect models, and sensitivity of the oxygen defect concentration to the charge disproportionation energy in the high P(O(2)) region. Similar approaches to those used here can be used to model the defect chemistry for other complex oxides.