Adsorption of atomic hydrogen on single-walled carbon nanotubes

We have investigated atomic and electronic structures of hydrogen-chemisorbed single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by density functional calculations. We have searched for relative stability of various hydrogen adsorption geometries with coverage. The hydrogenated SWCNTs are stable with coverage of H/C, theta >/= 0.3. The circular cross sections of nanotubes are transformed to polygonal shapes with different symmetries upon hydrogen adsorption. We find that the band gap in carbon nanotubes can be engineered by varying hydrogen coverage, independent of the metallicity of carbon nanotubes. This is explained by the degree of sp(3) hybridization.     

Mg-based nanocomposites with high capacity and fast kinetics for hydrogen storage

Magnesium and its alloys have shown a great potential in effective hydrogen storage due to their advantages of high volumetric/gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity and low cost. However, the use of these materials in fuel cells for automotive applications at the present time is limited by high hydrogenation temperature and sluggish sorption kinetics. This paper presents the recent results of design and development of magnesium-based nanocomposites demonstrating the catalytic effects of carbon nanotubes and transition metals on hydrogen adsorption in these materials. The results are promising for the application of magnesium materials for hydrogen storage, with significantly reduced absorption temperatures and enhanced ab/desorption kinetics. High level Density Functional Theory calculations support the analysis of the hydrogenation mechanisms by revealing the detailed atomic and molecular interactions that underpin the catalytic roles of incorporated carbon and titanium, providing clear guidance for further design and development of such materials with better hydrogen storage properties.     

Hydrogen adsorption in defected carbon nanotubes

Recently there has been lot of interest in the development of hydrogen storage in various systems for the large-scale application of fuel cells, mobiles and for automotive uses. Hectic materials research is going on throughout the world with various adsorption mechanisms to increase the storage capacity. It was observed that physisorption proves to be an effective way for this purpose. Some of the materials in this race include graphite, zeolite, carbon fibers and nanotubes. Among all these, the versatile material carbon nanotube (CNT) has a number of favorable points like porous nature, high surface area, hollowness, high stability and light weight, which facilitate the hydrogen adsorption in both outer and inner portions. In this work we have considered armchair (5,5), zig zag (10,0) and chiral tubes (8,2) and (6,4) with and without structural defects to study the physisorption of hydrogen on the surface of carbon nanotubes using DFT calculations. For two different H₂ configurations, adsorption binding energies are estimated both for defect free and defected carbon nanotubes. We could observe larger adsorption energies for the configuration in which the hydrogen molecular axis perpendicular to the hexagonal carbon ring than for parallel to C–C bond configuration corresponding to the defect free nanotubes. For defected tubes the adsorption energies are calculated for various configurations such as molecular axis perpendicular to a defect site octagon and parallel to C–C bond of octagon and another case where the axis perpendicular to hexagon in defected tube. The adsorption binding energy values are compared with defect free case. The results are discussed in detail for hydrogen storage applications.     

First principle study of hydrogen storage on the graphene-like aluminum nitride nanosheet

Employing density functional calculations including an empirical dispersion term, we investigated the hydrogenation of an aluminum nitride nanosheet (h-AlN) with atomic and molecular hydrogen. It was found that atomic H prefers to be adsorbed on an N atom rather than Al, releasing energy of 21.1 kcal/mol. The HOMO/LUMO energy gap of the sheet is dramatically reduced from 107.9 to 44.5 kcal/mol, upon the adsorption of one hydrogen atom. The adsorption of atomic H on the h-AlN presents properties which are promising for nanoelectronic applications. The molecular H₂ was found to be adsorbed collinearly on an N atom and dissociated to two H atoms on Al–N bond. Calculated barrier and adsorption energies for this dissociation process are about +18.9 and ?1.9 kcal/mol. We predict that each nitrogen atom in an AlN sheet can adsorb two hydrogen molecules on opposite sides of the sheet, and thus the gravimetric density for hydrogen storage on AlN sheet is evaluated to be about 8.9 wt%.     

First-principle study of adsorption of hydrogen on Ti-doped Mg(0001) surface

Ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to study the adsorption of H2 molecules on a Ti-doped Mg(0001) surface. We find that two hydrogen molecules are able to dissociate on top of the Ti atom with very small activation barriers (0.103 and 0.145 eV for the first and second H2 molecules, respectively). Additionally, a molecular adsorption state of H2 above the Ti atom is observed for the first time and is attributed to the polarization of the H2 molecule by the Ti cation. Our results parallel recent findings for H2 adsorption on Ti-doped carbon nanotubes or fullerenes. They provide new insight into the preliminary stages of hydrogen adsorption onto Ti-incorporated Mg surfaces.     

Heterogeneous Hydrogenation with Hydrogen Spillover Enabled by Nitrogen Vacancies on Boron Nitride-Supported Pd Nanoparticles

Heterogeneous hydrogenation with hydrogen spillover has been demonstrated as an effective route to achieve high selectivity towards target products. More effort should be paid to understand the complicated correlation between the nature of supports and hydrogenation involving hydrogen spillover. Herein, we report the development of the hydrogenation system of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)-supported Pd nanoparticles for the hydrogenation of aldehydes/ketones to alcohols with hydrogen spillover. Nitrogen vacancies in h-BN determine the feasibility of hydrogen spillover from Pd to h-BN. The hydrogenation of aldehydes/ketones with hydrogen spillover from Pd proceeds on nitrogen vacancies on h-BN. The weak adsorption of alcohols to h-BN inhibits the deep hydrogenation of aldehydes/ketones, thus leading to high catalytic selectivity to alcohols. Moreover, the hydrogen spillover-based hydrogenation mechanism makes the catalyst system exhibit a high tolerance to CO poisoning.     

Noncatalytic hydrogenation of decene-1 with hydrogen accumulated in a hybrid carbon nanostructure in nanosized membrane reactors

Studies on the creation of nanosized membrane reactors (NMRs) of a new generation with accumulated hydrogen and a regulated volume of reaction zone were continued at the next stage. Hydrogenation was performed in the pores of ceramic membranes with hydrogen preliminarily adsorbed in mono- and multilayered orientated carbon nanotubes with graphene walls (OCNTGs)—a new hybrid carbon nanostructure formed on the inner pore surface. Quantitative determination of hydrogen adsorption in OCNTGs was performed using TRUMEM ultrafiltration membranes with D _av = 50 and 90 nm and showed that hydrogen adsorption was up to ～1.5% of the mass of OCNTG. The instrumentation and procedure for noncatalytic hydrogenation of decene-1 at 250–350°C using hydrogen accumulated and stored in OCNTG were developed. The conversion of decene-1 into decane was ～0.2–1.8% at hydrogenation temperatures of 250 and 350°C, respectively. The rate constants and activation energy of hydrogenation were determined. The latter was found to be 94.5 kJ/mol, which is much smaller than the values typical for noncatalytic hydrogenations and very close to the values characteristic for catalytic reactions. The quantitative distribution of the reacting compounds in each pore regarded as a nanosized membrane reactor was determined. The activity of hydrogen adsorbed in a 2D carbon nanostructure was evaluated. Possible mechanisms of noncatalytic hydrogenation were discussed.     

Reversible Hydrogenation of Graphene on Ni(111)—Synthesis of “Graphone”

Understanding the adsorption and reaction between hydrogen and graphene is of fundamental importance for developing graphene‐based concepts for hydrogen storage and for the chemical functionalization of graphene by hydrogenation. Recently, theoretical studies of single‐sided hydrogenated graphene, so called graphone, predicted it to be a promising semiconductor for applications in graphene‐based electronics. Here, we report on the synthesis of graphone bound to a Ni(111) surface. We investigate the formation process by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature‐programmed desorption (TPD), and density‐functional theory calculations, showing that the hydrogenation of graphene with atomic hydrogen indeed leads to graphone, that is, a hydrogen coverage of 1 ML (4.2 wt %). The dehydrogenation of graphone reveals complex desorption processes that are attributed to coverage‐dependent changes in the activation energies for the associative desorption of hydrogen as molecular H₂.     

Chirality- and diameter-dependent reactivity of NO2 on carbon nanotube walls

We report the density-functional calculations of NO2 adsorption on single-walled carbon nanotube walls. A single molecular adsorption was endothermic with an activation barrier, but a collective adsorption with several molecules became exothermic without an activation barrier. We find that NO2 adsorption is strongly electronic structure- and strain-dependent. The NO2 adsorption on metallic nanotubes was energetically more favorable than that on semiconducting nanotubes and furthermore the adsorption became less stable with increasing diameters of nanotubes. The adsorption barrier height shows similar dependence on the electronic structure and diameter to the adsorption energy. Our theoretical model can be a good guideline for the separation of nanotubes by electronic structures using various adsorbates.     

Hydrogenation and hydrocarbonation and etching of single-walled carbon nanotubes

We present a systematic experimental investigation of the reactions between hydrogen plasma and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) at various temperatures. Microscopy, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements are carried out to investigate the properties of SWNTs after hydrogenation. Structural deformations, drastically reduced electrical conductance, and an increased semiconducting nature of SWNTs upon sidewall hydrogenation are observed. These changes are reversible upon thermal annealing at 500 degrees C via dehydrogenation. Harsh plasma or high temperature reactions lead to etching of nanotubes likely via hydrocarbonation. Smaller SWNTs are markedly less stable against hydrocarbonation than larger tubes. The results are fundamental and may have implications to basic and practical applications including hydrogen storage, sensing, band gap engineering for novel electronics, and new methods of manipulation, functionalization, and etching of nanotubes.     

Enthalpy and entropy effects in hydrogen adsorption on carbon nanotubes

Interaction energies and entropies associated with hydrogen adsorption on the inner and outer surfaces of zigzag single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) of various diameters are analyzed by means of molecular mechanics, density functional theory, and ab initio calculations. For a single molecule the strongest interaction, which is 3.5 greater than that with the planar graphite sheet, is found inside a (8,0) nanotube. Adsorption on the outer surfaces is weaker than that on graphite. Due to the steric considerations, both processes are accompanied by an extremely strong decline in entropy. Absence of specific adsorption sites and weak attractive interaction between hydrogen molecules within carbon nanotubes results in their close packing at low temperatures. Using the calculated geometric and thermodynamic parameters in Langmuir isotherms we predict the adsorption capacity of SWCNTs at room temperature to be smaller than 1 wt % even at 100 bar.     

Effect of chemical potential on the computer simulation of hydrogen storage in single walled carbon nanotubes

Hydrogen is a kind of clean, sustainable and renewable energy carrier. Of the problems to be solved for the utilization of hydrogen energy, how to store and transport hydrogen has been given high priority on the research agenda. Recently, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were reported to be very promising candidates for hydrogen uptake[1], which may have possibility to satisfy the benchmark set by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Plan for fuel cell powered vehicles: a gravimetric density …     

Metallic and carbon nanotube-catalyzed coupling of hydrogenation in magnesium

Synergistic effect of metallic couple and carbon nanotubes on Mg results in an ultrafast kinetics of hydrogenation that overcome a critical barrier of practical use of Mg as hydrogen storage materials. The ultrafast kinetics is attributed to the metal-H atomic interaction at the Mg surface and in the bulk (energy for bonding and releasing) and atomic hydrogen diffusion along the grain boundaries (aggregation of carbon nanotubes) and inside the grains. Hence, a hydrogenation mechanism is presented.     

Boltzmann bias grand canonical Monte Carlo

We derive an efficient method for the insertion of structured particles in grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of adsorption in very confining geometries. We extend this method to path integral simulations and use it to calculate the isotherm of adsorption of hydrogen isotopes in narrow carbon nanotubes (two-dimensional confinement) and slit pores (one-dimensional confinement) at the temperatures of 20 and 77 K, discussing its efficiency by comparison to the standard path integral grand canonical Monte Carlo algorithm. We use this algorithm to perform multicomponent simulations in order to calculate the hydrogen isotope selectivity for adsorption in narrow carbon nanotubes and slit pores at finite pressures. The algorithm described here can be applied to the study of adsorption of real oligomers and polymers in narrow pores and channels.     

Enhancement of hydrogen physisorption on graphene and carbon nanotubes by Li doping

Density-functional calculations of the adsorption of molecular hydrogen on a planar graphene layer and on the external surface of a (4,4) carbon nanotube, undoped and doped with lithium, have been carried out. Hydrogen molecules are physisorbed on pure graphene and on the nanotube with binding energies about 80-90 meV/molecule. However, the binding energies increase to 160-180 meV/molecule for many adsorption configurations of the molecule near a Li atom in the doped systems. A charge-density analysis shows that the origin of the increase in binding energy is the electronic charge transfer from the Li atom to graphene and the nanotube. The results support and explain qualitatively the enhancement of the hydrogen storage capacity observed in some experiments of hydrogen adsorption on carbon nanotubes doped with alkali atoms.     

纳米结构储氢材料的计算研究与设计

对B原子掺杂的石墨烯、碳纳米管和富勒烯、MB2纳米管和ca表面覆盖的纳米管体系的氢气吸附和存储性能进行了第一原理计算,结果表明在表面曲率比较大的碳材料体系中掺B可以增强其对H2的吸附作用;过渡金属原子与H2由于Kubas作用而表现出很大的H2吸附能;碱土金属Ca离子化后的带电电荷的材料体系,由于与H2发生极化作用,也会增强氢气的吸附性能．综合我们的结果和储氢材料研究的最新进展,讨论了影响储氢材料性能的相关因素,就如何增强材料与H2之间的相互作用,使H2吸附能在0．2～0．4eV之间,能够在温和的条件下吸／放氢,并且具有较大的重量和体积储氢量等问题作了简要论述,这些原理对纳米结构储氢材料的设计有一定的指导意义．     

Computational studies of boron‐ and nitrogen‐doped single‐walled carbon nanotubes as potential sensor materials of hydrogen halide molecules HX (X = F,Cl, Br)

Potential applicability of undoped, B‐, and N‐doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for elaboration of the working materials of gas sensors of hydrogen halide molecules HX (X = F, Cl, Br) is analyzed in computational studies of molecular adsorption on the CNTs surfaces. Density Functional Theory (DFT)‐based geometry‐optimized calculations of the electronic structure of undoped, B‐, and N‐doped CNTs of (3,3) and (5,5) chiralities with adsorbed HX (X = F, Cl, Br) molecules are performed within molecular cluster approach. Relaxed geometries, binding energies between the adsorbates and the nanotubes, charge states of the adsorbates and the electronic wave function contours are calculated and analyzed in the context of gas sensing applications. Obtained results are supplemented by calculations of adsorption of hydrogen halides on B(N)‐doped graphene sheets which are considered as model approximation for large‐diameter CNTs. It is found that the B‐doped CNTs are perspective for elaboration of sensing materials for detection of HCl and HBr molecules. The undoped and the N‐doped CNTs are predicted to be less suitable materials for detection of hydrogen halide gases HX (X = F, Cl, Br). © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

纳米碳管储能的化学原理与储存容量研究

通过在大温度、压力范围内系统地测定氢在纳米碳管粉末与压片上的吸附等温线和对所得等温线的理论分析,计算出吸附热,并用超临界气体的吸附模型充分地描述了氢在纳米碳管上的吸附行为,证明纳米碳管储氢的原理是超临界吸附;比表面积和储气温度控制着储气容量.甲烷在干纳米碳管上的吸附机理与氢气相同,但在湿纳米碳管中的存储机理在于甲烷水合物的生成,因此孔容控制储气容量.单位质量多壁管的湿储容量是干储容量的5.1倍 ,单壁管可能产生更大的增强存储作用.     

Effect of a modifying additive to a rhodium-containing catalyst on the kinetics of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> hydrogenation

A study was carried out on the kinetics of the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to give methane in the presence of supported rhodium catalysts with additives of Cr, Fe, Co, Mo, Pt, Sn, and Pb compounds. The modifying additives were shown to have a significant effect on the energy characteristics of the carbon dioxide hydrogenation reaction. The introduction of a metal additive into Rh/Al₂O₃ leads to an increase in the bond energy of the rhodium 3d_5/2 electrons and, thus, to a positive charge on the rhodium particles and increase in the heat of hydrogen adsorption. In turn, the change in the heat of hydrogen adsorption significantly affects the specific catalytic activity of the catalysts studied.     

Quantum chemical studies on hydrogen adsorption in carbon-based model systems: role of charged surface and the electronic induction effect

Quantum chemical studies on the molecular hydrogen adsorption in a six-membered carbon ring has been undertaken to mimic the adsorption process in carbon nanotubes, considering the fact that the six-membered carbon ring is found to be one of the basic units of the carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. Our results reveal that the carbon surface as such is not a good candidate for hydrogen adsorption but a charged surface created by doping of an alkali metal atom can play an important role for the improvement in adsorption of molecular hydrogen. The strength of hydrogen interaction as well as the number of hydrogen molecules that can be adsorbed on the system is found to depend on the nature of the cation doped in the system. We have also studied the role of electronic induction by substituting different functional groups in the model system on the hydrogen adsorption energy. The results demonstrate that the binding energy of the cation with the carbon surface as well as the hydrogen adsorption energy can be tuned significantly through the use of suitable substituents. In addition, we have shown that the extended planar or the curved carbon surface of the coronene system alone may not be suitable for an effective molecular hydrogen adsorption. In essence, our results reveal that the ionic surface with a significant degree of curvature will enhance the hydrogen adsorption effectively.