Comprehensive study of threonine adsorption on carbon nanotube: A dispersion complemented density functional theory‐based treatment

The interaction mechanism of threonine (Thr) on the sidewall of (8, 8) single‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was investigated by density functional tight‐binding method. All the functional groups of Thr were used to interact with the surface of CNT. The structural parameters were analyzed to identify the noncovalent interactions, and the binding energy and strain energy were used to indicate the binding properties. We found that the CH/π interactions play more important roles than NH/π and OH/π interactions in stabilizing the complex structures. Furtherly, the charge transfer properties, density of states (DOS) and partial density of states, and highest occupied molecular orbitals and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals were also studied to illustrate the adsorbed interactions. The results show that the DOS structure of CNT could be modified by the adsorption of Thr, and, therefore, the conductivity of CNT will be improved by introducing proper amino acids. Our data should be helpful for the design of biocompatible molecules for CNT modification. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Fabrication of carbon nanotube sheets and their bilirubin adsorption capacity

Bilirubin adsorption on carbon nanotube surfaces has been studied to develop a new adsorbent in the plasma apheresis. Powder-like carbon nanotubes were first examined under various adsorption conditions such as temperatures and initial concentrations of bilirubin solutions. The adsorption capacity was measured from the residual concentrations of bilirubin in the solution after the adsorption process using a visible absorption spectroscopy. We found that multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) exhibit greater adsorption capacity for bilirubin molecules than that of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). To guarantee the safety of the adsorbents, we fabricated carbon nanotube sheets in which leakage of CNTs to the plasma is suppressed. Since SWCNTs are more suitable for robust sheets, a complex sheet consisting of SWCNTs as the scaffolds and MWCNTs as the efficient adsorbents. CNT/polyaniline complex sheets were also fabricated. Bilirubin adsorption capacity of CNTs has been found to be much larger than that of the conventional materials because of their large surface areas and large adsorption capability for polycyclic compound molecules due to their surface structure similar to graphite.     

Can the Gibbs free energy of adsorption be predicted efficiently and accurately: an M05-2X DFT study

This study presents new insight into the prediction of partitioning of organic compounds between a carbon surface (soot) and water, and it also sheds light on the sluggish desorption of interacting molecules from activated and nonactivated carbon surfaces. This paper provides details about the structure and interactions of benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and aromatic nitrocompounds with a carbon surface modeled by coronene using a density functional theory approach along with the M05-2X functional. The adsorption was studied in vacuum and from water solution. The molecules studied are physisorbed on the carbon surface. While the intermolecular interactions of benzene and hydrocarbons are governed by dispersion forces, nitrocompounds are adsorbed also due to quite strong electrostatic interactions with all types of carbon surfaces. On the basis of these results, we conclude that the method of prediction presented in this study allows one to approach the experimental level of accuracy in predicting thermodynamic parameters of adsorption on a carbon surface from the gas phase. The empirical modification of the polarized continuum model leads also to a quantitative agreement with the experimental data for the Gibbs free energy values of the adsorption from water solution.     

Interactions between polymers and carbon nanotubes: a molecular dynamics study

We used force-field-based molecular dynamics to study the interaction between polymers and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The intermolecular interaction energy between single-walled carbon nanotubes and polymers was computed, and the morphology of polymers adsorbed to the surface of nanotubes was investigated. Furthermore, the "wrapping" of nanotubes by polymer chains was examined. It was found that the specific monomer structure plays a very important role in determining the strength of interaction between nanotubes and polymers. The results of our study suggest that polymers with a backbone containing aromatic rings are promising candidates for the noncovalent binding of carbon nanotubes into composite structures. Such polymers can be used as building blocks in amphiphilic copolymers to promote increased interfacial binding between the CNT and a polymeric matrix.     

Kinetics and thermodynamic study of aniline adsorption by multi-walled carbon nanotubes from aqueous solution

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used in the adsorptive removal of aniline, an organic pollutant, from an aqueous solution. It was found that carbon nanotubes with a higher specific surface area adsorbed and removed more aniline from an aqueous solution. The adsorption was dependent on factors, such as MWCNTs dosage, contact time, aniline concentration, solution pH and temperature. The adsorption study was analyzed kinetically, and the results revealed that the adsorption followed pseudo-second order kinetics with good correlation coefficients. In addition, it was found that the adsorption of aniline occurred in two consecutive steps, including the slow intra-particle diffusion of aniline molecules through the nanotubes. Various thermodynamic parameters, including the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°), enthalpy change (ΔH°) and entropy change (ΔS°), were calculated. The results indicated that the spontaneity of the adsorption, exothermic nature of the adsorption and the decrease in the randomness reported as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°, respectively, were all negative.     

Fluoride and lead adsorption on carbon nanotubes

The properties and applications of CNT have been studied extensively since Iijima discovered them in 1991[1,2]. They have exceptional mechanical properties and unique electrical property, highly chemical stability and large specific surface area. Thus far, they have widely potential applications in many fields. They can be used as reinforcing materials in composites[3], field emissions[4], hydrogen storage[5], nanoelectronic components[6], catalyst supports[7], adsorption material and so on.…     

Effect of carbon nanotubes’ crystal structure on adsorption kinetics of small molecules An experimental study utilizing ultra-high vacuum thermal analysis techniques

The effect of carbon nanotubes’ (CNT) crystal structure on chemical reactivity has been studied in much detail in the liquid phase using CNT suspension. This type of information is pertinent for developing CNT separation strategies. However, few experimental studies are available providing data for gas–CNT interactions utilizing ultra-high vacuum (UHV) surface science techniques. Structure–activity relationships (SAR) for gas–surface interactions are important for sensor designs and heterogeneous catalysis exploring, for example, CNT’s potential as a support for fuel cell catalysts. We report on UHV kinetics experiments with single-wall metallic, semiconducting, and mixed CNTs in order to provide the experimental basis to correlate CNT’s crystal structure and chemical activity. Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), a simple temperature ramping technique, has been used to determine the binding energies of a number of probe molecules including alkanes, alcohols, thiophene, benzene, and water on CNTs at UHV conditions. TDS allows for the identification of adsorption sites of probe molecules in CNT bundles, using gold foil or silica as a support for the drop-and-dry technique. A weak and probe molecule dependent SAR is present for adsorption inside the CNTs but not for the population of external sites by the probe molecules. The experimental data are in part consistent with current theoretical predictions by other groups. In addition, the effect of different solvents (methanol, SDS, and NMP) and cleaning procedures will briefly be discussed using results of spectroscopic (Auger electron spectroscopy) and kinetic techniques. Furthermore, molecular beam scattering techniques were utilized to characterize the adsorption dynamics, i.e., the gas-to-surface energy transfer processes of alkanes on CNTs. For example, opening the CNT tube ends by high temperature annealing, increases the so-called initial adsorption probability, that is, the probability for adsorption in the limit of zero surface concentration (coverage). This result directly illustrates the effect of large surface areas of CNTs, using internal and external surfaces, for gas adsorption.     

A Study of the Influence of Hydrophobicity of Activated Carbon on the Adsorption Equilibrium of Aromatics in Non-Aqueous Media

The effect of hydrophobicity on the adsorption of aromatics on metal-free activated carbons was studied. Adsorption isotherms for phenol, aniline, benzene, and xylene were generated in cyclohexane and heptane media, using seven carbons with different surface heterogeneity. The hydrophobicity of these carbons was probed using flow microcalorimetry (FMC). Surface polarity and solvent and adsorbate hydrophobicity were found to influence the adsorption capacity. For adsorbates that do not form hydrogen bonds with oxygen on the carbon surface, higher surface acidity lowers adsorption capacity due to increased polarity. In contrast, for adsorbates that can form hydrogen bonds with surface oxygen, the capacity is enhanced at higher surface acidities. A higher solvent hydrophobicity was found to decrease capacity for all the aromatic adsorbates studied, except at high surface polarity, where the effect of the solvent was found to be minimal.     

Characterization of surface energetic heterogeneity of pure and poly (acrylic acid)‐adsorbed carbon nanotubes by deconvoluting the nitrogen adsorption isotherm

The surface energetic heterogeneity of pure and poly (acrylic acid) (PAA)‐adsorbed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were studied by a nitrogen probe adsorption technique in a wide range of pressures. The adsorption energy distributions (AEDs) were calculated from the low‐pressure data of isotherms by deconvoluting the low‐pressure experimental nitrogen adsorption isotherms. The surface of pure CNTs is heterogeneous as its AED presents four peaks at 42, 52, 57 and 78 K. It is observed that the AED of CNTs can be evidently modified by PAA adsorption. While the PAA adsorption amount increases, the high‐energy peaks at 52, 57 and 78 K gradually weaken and diminish at last, whereas the low ones such as at 42 K strengthen and new peaks arise at 27 and 32 K. It is proposed that PAA molecules prefer interacting with and screening the higher energetic sites to the lower ones. It will facilitate the understanding of the polymer adsorption on energetic heterogeneity surfaces. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical study of binding of metal-doped graphene sheet and carbon nanotubes with dioxin

Using density functional theory, we have theoretically studied dioxin binding on a graphene sheet or carbon nanotubes (CNT), finding that they can be effective adsorbents for dioxin in the presence of calcium atoms. This is due to a cooperative formation of sandwich complexes of graphene sheet or (5,5) CNT through the interaction pi-Ca-pi with the total binding energy of more than 3 eV. This correlates with the band structure analysis, which indicates charge transfer from the carbon systems and calcium atoms to dioxin when the molecule binds to the metal-doped carbon systems. For CNT with small radii, the relative strength of CNT-dioxin interaction is dependent on their chiralities. Upon dioxin binding, a large increase in the electronic density of states near the Fermi level also suggests that they can be used for dioxin sensing. Fe-doped CNT is also found to bind dioxin strongly, revealing an important role played by remnants of metallic catalysts in the chemical properties of CNT.     

Molecular dynamics study of selective adsorption of PCB on activated carbon

The selectivity of PCB adsorption from fish oil onto activated carbon (AC) was investigated by means of molecular dynamics to determine the importance of molecular planarity. PCB congeners 77 and 118 were selected for comparison purposes due to pronounced differences in mean adsorption efficiency and molecular geometry; triolein, a triacylglycerol of oleic acid (C18:1), was used as the representative fish oil component. Graphitic carbon structure was set up to serve as activated carbon model. Molecular force fields employed in the simulations combined short-range parameters from the OPLS with partial atomic charges obtained via quantum chemical calculations using DFT/B3LYP/6-31**G+ and Solvation Model 6. We modified the dihedral angle potential between the PCB aromatic rings and applied Schrödinger's Jaguar package to evaluate the required force field constants. Our complete system comprised a number of PCB molecules dissolved in triacylglycerol that overlaid and filled the pores of an AC structure. The production run of 4 ns provided strong indications that smaller pores will be conductive to better selectivity though also resulted in certain doubts concerning the estimation and assignment of partial atomic charges on the activated carbon. The majority of PCB molecules trapped in pores were attached via cl-AC “bonding”, leaving the main part of the PCB molecule free to interact with triolein. The cl-AC adsorption energy was found to surpass the energy criteria conventionally used for hydrogen bonds. Planar orientation assumed by a PCB molecule in a very energetically favored position on top of the graphite sheet clearly supported the π-cloud overlap hypothesis.     

Theoretical Investigation of the Interaction between Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Nanotubes with Single‐Vacancy Defects

Density functional theory calculations are used to study the healing process of a defective CNT (i.e. (8,0) CNT) by CO molecules. The healing undergoes three evolutionary steps: 1) the chemisorption of the first CO molecule, 2) the incorporation of the C atom of CO into the CNT, accompanied by the adsorption of the leaving O atom on the CNT surface, 3) the removal of the adsorbed O atom from the CNT surface by a second CO molecule to form CO₂ and the perfect CNT. Overall, adsorption of the first CO reveals a barrier of 2.99 kcal mol^?1 and is strongly exothermal by 109.11 kcal mol^?1, while adsorption of a second CO has an intrinsic barrier of 32.37 kcal mol^?1and is exothermal by 62.34 kcal mol^?1. In light of the unique conditions of CNT synthesis, that is, high temperatures in a closed container, the healing of the defective CNT could be effective in the presence of CO molecules. Therefore, we propose that among the available CNT synthesis procedures, the good performance of chemical vapor decomposition of CO on metal nanoparticles might be ascribed to the dual role of CO, that is, CO acts both as a carbon source and a defect healer. The present results are expected to help a deeper understanding of CNT growth.     

Estimation of the energetic nonhomogeneity of the surface of oxide and carbon materials

The molecular statistical method for evaluating the distribution of active sites of various adsorbents relative to their energies has been improved. This method is used not only for the treatment of experimental data on the adsorption of hydrocarbons on various adsorbents, which is the usual procedure, but also data on the adsorption of polar water and methanol molecules on the active sites of adsorbent surfaces. Two types of active sites differing in energy have been shown to exist on the surface of graphitized carbon black, the complex shungite carbon/mineral adsorbent, and modified Silochrom. Chromatographic, calorimetric, and structural adsorption data were used to establish the relationship between the observed maxima of the energy distribution function of the adsorption sites with concrete adsorption sites or pores of the surface, on which the molecules are adsorbed. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 44, No. 5, pp. 315–320, September–October, 2008.     

Structure and properties of aqueous dispersions of sodium dodecyl sulfate with carbon nanotubes

The dispersing action of the surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) on the carbon nanotubes (CNT) in aqueous medium has been studied. Electron microscopy, molecular docking, NMR and IR spectroscopies were applied to determine the physical-chemical properties of CNT dispersions in SDS—water solutions. It was established that micellar adsorption of the surfactant on the surface of carbon material and solubilization of SDS in aqueous medium contribute to improving CNT dispersing in water solutions. It was shown that the non-polar hydrocarbon radicals of a single surfactant molecule form the highest possible number of contacts with the graphene surface. Upon increase of the SDS in solution these radicals form micelles connected with the surface of the nanotubes. At the sufficiently high SDS concentration the nanotube surface becomes covered with an adsorbed layer of surfactant micelles. Water molecules and sodium cations are concentrated in spaces between micelles. The observed pattern of micellar adsorption is somewhat similar to a loose bilayer of surfactant molecules.     

Density functional theory study on the possibility of Si‐, Ge‐, and Sn‐doped carbon nanotubes as efficient support materials for platinum

PBEPBE‐D3 calculations were performed to investigate how platinum (Pt) interacts with the internal and external surfaces of single‐walled pristine, Si‐, Ge‐, and Sn‐doped (6,6) carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Our calculations showed that atomic Pt demonstrates stronger binding strength on the external surfaces than the internal surface adsorption for the same type of nanotube. In cases of external surface adsorptions, Si‐, Ge‐, and Sn‐doped CNTs show comparable binding energies for Pt, at least 1.40 eV larger than pristine CNT. This enhancement can be rationalized by the strong covalent interactions between Pt and X? C (X = Si, Ge, and Sn) pairs based on structural and projected density of states analysis. In terms of internal surface adsorptions, Ge and Sn doping could significantly enhance the binding of Pt. Pt atom shows much more delocalized and bonding states inside Ge‐ and Sn‐doped CNTs, indicating multiple‐site interaction pattern when atomic Pt is confined inside the nanotubes. However, the internal surface of Si‐doped CNT presents limited enhancement in Pt adsorption with respect to that of pristine CNT because of their similar binding geometries. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Endohedral and exohedral complexes of 1-benzene with carbon nanotubes and high-density assembly of multiple benzenes inside of a carbon nanotube

The 1-benzene was put on the inside and surface of various armchair (n, n) (n = 6-12, 14) and zigzag (n, 0) (n = 10-17, 20) nanotubes of different diameters. The binding structure, binding energy, and effects on binding energy were analyzed. All interaction structures and the properties of the assembled complexes were investigated via density functional tight-binding method. Furthermore, we put multiple benzene molecules (2-18 benzenes) inside the armchair (10, 10), (9, 9), and (8, 8) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and found that two types of structures were formed for the endohedral complexes of multiple benzenes-spiral symmetrical polygon and criss-crossed types, respectively. The detail of the binding energies and structure properties for (10, 10)/kBen (k = 1-6, 18), (9, 9)/kBen (k = 4, 5, 15), and (8, 8)/kBen (k = 1-8) were discussed. Furthermore, the HOMOs and LUMOs of the representative complexes were also studied to illustrate the interactions. This article offers a new assembly method to prepare a high density of benzenes inside of CNTs and offers a method for benzene adsorption by CNT.     

Thermodynamic characteristics of adsorption of nitrogen-containing heterocycles on graphitized thermal carbon black derived from molecular statistical calculation. 1. Azines

Thermodynamic characteristics of adsorption (TCA) for six-membered aromatic nitrogen-containing heterocycles (azines), viz., pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, and 1,3,5-triazine, on graphitized thermal carbon black (GTC) were experimentally determined and theoretically calculated. The best coincidence of the experiment and calculation is achieved using atom-atomic potential functions of intermolecular interactions, which allow for a decreased -electron density in the aromatic system. The N atoms in the azine molecules are nonequivalent in terms of the adsorption behavior. The GTC surface very selectively adsorbs azines with different molecular structures, and this selectivity can be used for separation and chromatographic analysis of these compounds. The dependence of TCA of azines on the degree of aromaticity of their molecules has been established for the first time.     

运用功能化修饰的碳纳米管针尖测量配体-受体的作用力

电弧法自制碳纳米管原子力显微镜针尖,对其末端进行功能化修饰,然后测量配体-受体之间的作用力。运用没有功能化修饰的碳纳米管针尖与修饰有亲和素分子的基底进行接触测量时,没有粘滞力出现;而运用末端修饰生物素分子的碳纳米管针尖测量时,有粘滞力产生。功能化的碳纳米管针尖直接测得的粘滞力均大约200pN,此值符合一对配体生物素和受体亲和素之间的作用力。这一结果很难用传统的针尖获得,功能化修饰的碳纳米管针尖能够克服传统针尖在力测量中的局限,在生物学和化学领域有着广泛的应用前景。     

基于密度泛函理论的燃煤飞灰未燃尽碳与烟气砷作用机理

基于密度泛函理论研究了燃煤飞灰中未燃尽碳（unburned carbon， UBC）组分对气态单质砷As及其氧化物AsO、AsO₂和As₂O₃的作用机理。结果表明，单质砷优先吸附于碳桥位，吸附能在（-5.95）-（-5.88） eV。AsO分子中的砷、氧原子分别与碳原子成键时，吸附构型最稳定，吸附能最低为-7.87 eV。当AsO₂在未燃尽碳表面解离形成一个AsO和表面活性氧时，体系最稳定，吸附能为-10.65 eV。当三角双锥As₂O₃分子以两个氧原子首先碰撞未燃尽碳表面时，将解离形成AsO和AsO₂小分子，并分别与表面碳成键，此时体系吸附能相较于未解离情形而言显著降低，达到-10.64 eV。飞灰未燃尽碳与AsO或AsO₂小分子的结合较紧密，局部倾向于形成特殊的五元环结构。毒性最强的三价态砷As₂O₃，相较于As、AsO和AsO₂而言，化学性质稳定，不易发生吸附。将其催化裂解为AsO、AsO₂小分子，有望成为可行的燃煤电厂烟气砷污染控制措施。     

DFT Study on the Effect of Hydrogen-bond Formation on the Adsorption of Aminotriazines on Graphene

DFT calculations have been performed to explore the aminotriazine adsorption on graphene surfaces.Relative energies,equilibrium geometries and electronic structures of monomer and dimer of aminotriazine molecules adsorbed at the surface were investigated and analyzed in details.It was found that the hydrogen atoms in the NH2 group of aminotriazine molecules are directed toward the graphene surface,and the adsorption energy increases as the NH2 group is added.The adsorbed aminotriazine molecules facilely form a dimer through the hydrogen bonding interactions,and the two aromatic rings of optimized structure of 2-amino-1,3,5-triazine(B) dimmer(denoted by B2) and melamine(D) dimmer(denoted by D2) are parallel to the graphene sheet.The large deviation of the averaged adsorption energy of B2 and D2 compared to monor adsorption may reflect the increase of π-π repulsion and the effect of hydrogen bond formation.The electronic structure analyses reveal that the formation of hydrogen bonds in melamine dimer has great influence on the adsorption mode at the graphene surface.