Electronic and vibrational properties of nickel sulfides from first principles

We report the results of first-principles calculations (generalized gradient approximation-Perdew Wang 1991) on the electronic and vibrational properties of several nickel sulfides that are observed on Ni-based anodes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) upon exposure to H2S contaminated fuels: heazlewoodite Ni3S2, millerite NiS, polydymite Ni3S4, and pyrite NiS2. The optimized lattice parameters of these sulfides are within 1% of the values determined from x-ray diffraction. The electronic structure analysis indicates that all Ni-S bonds are strongly covalent. Furthermore, it is found that the nickel d orbitals shift downward in energy, whereas the sulfur p orbitals shift upward with increasing sulfur content; this is consistent with the decrease in conductivity and catalytic activity of sulfur-contaminated Ni-based electrodes (or degradation in SOFC performance). In addition, we systematically analyze the classifications of the vibrational modes at the point from the crystal symmetry and calculate the corresponding vibrational frequencies from the optimized lattice constants. This information is vital to the identification with in situ vibrational spectroscopy of the nickel sulfides formed on Ni-based electrodes under the conditions for SOFC operation. Finally, the effect of thermal expansion on frequency calculations for the Ni3S2 system is also briefly examined.     

Communication: Multi-state analysis of the OCS ultraviolet absorption including vibrational structure

The first absorption band of OCS (carbonyl sulfide) is analyzed using potential energy surfaces and transition dipole moment functions of the lowest four singlet and the lowest four triplet states. Excitation of the 2 (1)A' state is predominant except at very low photon energies. It is shown that the vibrational structures in the center of the band are due to excitation of the 2 (3)A' triplet state, whereas the structures at very low energies are caused by bending excitation in the potential wells of states 2 (1)A' and 1 (1)A'.     

Electronic structure and vibrational spectrum of acetylthiocarbamide

An approximate quantum chemical optimization of the geometric parameters of the acetylthiocarbamide molecule CH₃CONHCSNH₂ was carried out using the MNDO/H approximation. Bond lengths, bond angles, enthalpy of formation, total energy, ionization potential, and dipole moment were estimated, and the effective charges on the atoms and the bond orders were calculated. An analysis of the normal vibrations of the acetylthiocarbamide molecule and its deuteroanalog CH₃CONDCSND₂ was carried out. The force fields have been estimated. The frequencies, potential energy distribution among the vibrational coordinates, and the frequencies for the partially and completely deuterated acetylthiocarbamide molecules have been calculated.A. A. Baikov Institute of Metallurgy, Russian Academy of Sciences. A. A. Sechenov Moscow Academy of Medicine. N. S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 58–65, March–April, 1993.     

OCS电子基态势能面与振动光谱的理论研究

本文采用键长-键角内标系下的自洽场-组态相互作用方法精确计算了OCS分子的振动高激发态能级,并结合实验观测到的振动能级利用非线性最小二乘法优化电子基态势能函数中的势能参数。由优化所得的势能面计算出的振动激发态能级与50个实验观测到的振动能级比较,标准偏差为0.08cm^-^1。此外,还用该势能面计算了OCS同位素分子的振动能级,计算结果与实验值也十分吻合。     

Electronic structure and peculiar bonding properties of NdNiMg5 from first principles

The newly found ternary compound NdNiMg₅ has been studied within DFT based methodologies. Results of cohesive energy, charge transfers, elastic constants and electron localized function mapping as well as electronic structure and bonding properties have been compared with those of isostructural binary NdNi. The calculation results have shown that Mg substructures interlayering NdNi – like slabs exhibit different magnitudes of charge transfers all within range of metallic behavior and the different Mg substructures selectively bind with Nd and Ni substructures. As a consequence an enhanced cohesion with respect to binary intermetallic NdNi is identified. The whole set of elastic constants and their combinations in orthorhombic symmetry confirm the mechanical stability of NdNiMg₅ with larger compressibility and less ductility (more brittleness) with respect substructures to NdNi. While in an intermetallic compound such as NdNi the bonding is ensured mainly by Nd–Ni interaction, in NdNiMg₅ Nd–Ni, Nd–Mg, Ni–Mg as well as Mg–Mg participate to the bonding and the extra electrons brought by Mg are found within bonding states thus illustrating furthermore the enhanced cohesion of the ternary versus the binary systems.     

The structure of liquid alcohols and the temperature dependence of vibrational bandwidth

To obtain the information about the structure peculiarities of liquid alcohols the temperature dependence of Raman profiles widths for these objects was studied. The results of these investigations have shown that in the region 150–340 K the widths of Raman bands in liquid methanol and ethanol are constant. From the data on the constancy of the number of hydrogen bonds per one molecule (in the same temperature range) the conclusion on the dynamic stability of the cluster structure of alcohols was made. The broadening of vibrational bands is determined by inhomogeneous broadening and by the dephasing of intramolecular vibrations due to the hydrogen bond dissociation.     

The vibrational spectrum and structure of trifluorotrichlorodisiloxane

The vibrational spectrum of trifluorotrichlorodisiloxane (F₃SiOSiCl₃) is reported, analyzed and assigned in terms of a linear C_3v model, by comparison with that of structurally related hexachlorodisiloxane (Cl₃SiOSiCl₃). This is the first assignment of the vibrational spectrum for this molecule. The vibrational spectrum of Cl₃SiOSiCl₃ is assigned on the basis of a linear D_3d model, which is different from a bent C_2v model in the previous literature.     

Molecular environment and temperature dependence of hyperfine interactions in sugar crystal radicals from first principles

The effect of the molecular environment and the temperature dependence of hyperfine parameters in first principles calculations in alpha-d-glucose and beta-d-fructose crystal radicals have been investigated. More specifically, we show how static (0 K) cluster in vacuo hyperfine calculations, commonly used today, deviate from more advanced molecular dynamics calculations at the experimental temperature using periodic boundary conditions. From the latter approach, more useful information can be extracted, allowing us to ascertain the validity of proposed molecular models.     

Anomalous temperature dependence of nuclear quadrupole interactions in strongly hydrogen-bonded systems from first principles

We present an analysis of the effect of finite temperatures on the deuteron nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in a strongly hydrogen-bonded molecular crystal by means of first-principles Car-Parrinello molecular-dynamics simulations. Our findings agree well with experiments and provide a microscopic explanation of the anomalous increase of the quadrupole coupling in this class of systems. We show that a simple model based on the anharmonicity of the hydrogen bond potential fails to describe the temperature dependence of the couplings even qualitatively. Instead, the inclusion of fluctuations and disorder in terms of atomic motion of the surrounding molecules turns out to be important to obtain the correct magnitude of the temperature effect.     

Speed dependence of collisional relaxation in ground vibrational state of OCS: rotational behaviour

Accurate experimental data on pressure broadened profiles of (16)O(12)C(32)S pure rotational lines in a broad range of quantum number J have been analyzed taking into account the speed dependence of collisional relaxation. Refined values of collisional self-broadening coefficients are determined and compared to previously known data. New quantitative information on departures of observed line shapes from the traditional Voigt profile is obtained. It is shown that these departures result mainly from the speed dependence of collisional relaxation. Theoretical calculations of self-broadening parameters are performed in the framework of the semiclassical impact Robert-Bonamy formalism where the mean relative molecular speed as well as the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of relative speeds is considered. The necessity of allowance for the speed dependence in line shape models is confirmed and satisfactory results have been obtained by arbitrarily limiting the integration of the differential cross section to a finite value of the impact parameter. It is shown for the first time for the whole rotational spectrum that speed dependent models not only improve accuracy of modeling the observed line profiles but also give physically grounded values of collisional relaxation parameters.     

Electronic structure study of the high-pressure vibrational spectrum of FeS2 pyrite

Plane-wave density functional calculations are used to investigate the pressure dependence of the geometry and Gamma-point phonons of FeS(2) pyrite up to 150 GPa. The linear response method is employed to calculate the vibrational properties. Raman-active modes are in excellent agreement with the experimental data available up to 50 GPa,(1) and we predict the evolution with pressure of the IR-active modes for which no high-pressure spectroscopic data have been reported so far. Over the wide pressure range investigated here, all vibrational frequencies depend nonlinearly on pressure; their pressure dependence is quantified by determining the full set of mode Grüneisen parameters and their pressure derivatives.     

The ultraviolet spectrum of the CoCl2 radical, studied at vibrational and rotational resolution

The laser excitation spectrum of the 327 nm band system of CoCl2, formed in a free-jet expansion, has been recorded at a rotational temperature of approximately 10 K. The spectrum is congested and suffers extensive perturbations. A progression in the excited state symmetric stretching vibration has been identified. The decrease in the symmetric stretching vibrational wave number on excitation is considerable [nu1 '=195.7(12), nu1 (")=358.1(17) cm(-1)]. Despite widespread perturbations in the rotational structure of these vibronic bands, they can be confidently assigned to a parallel Omega=72-72 transition, consistent with an inverted 4Deltag ground electronic state. The rotational constant for Co35Cl2 in the ground state is determined to be 0.056 65(11) cm(-1), which corresponds to a value for the zero-point averaged Co-Cl bond length r0 of 2.062 8(40) A. The perturbations are found to be strongly isotopomer dependent.     

Electronic structure,magnetic properties,and mixed valence character of Ce2Ni3Si5 from first principles calculations

Cerium intermetallic compounds exhibit anomalous physical properties such as heavy fermion and Kondo behaviors. Here, an ab initio study of the electronic structure, magnetic properties, and mixed valence character of Ce₂Ni₃Si₅ using density functional theory (DFT) is presented. Two theoretical methods, including pure Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) and PBE + U , are used. In this study, Ce³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ are considered as two different constituents in the unit cell. The formation energy calculations on the DFT level propose that Ce is in a stable mixed valence of 3.379 at 0 K. The calculated electronic structure shows that Ce₂Ni₃Si₅ is a metallic compound with a contribution at the Fermi level from Ce 4f and Ni 3d states. With the inclusion of the effective Hubbard parameter (U _eff), the five valence electrons of 5 Ce³⁺ ions are distributed only on Ce³⁺ 4f orbitals. Therefore, the occupied Ce³⁺ 4f band is located in the valence band (VB) while Ce⁴⁺ 4f orbitals are empty and Located at the Fermi level. The calculated magnetic moment in Ce₂Ni₃Si₅ is only due to cerium (Ce³⁺) in good agreement with the experimental results. The U _eff value of 5.4 eV provides a reasonable magnetic moment of 0.981 for the unpaired electron per Ce³⁺ ion. These results may serve as a guide for studying present mixed valence cerium‐based compounds. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The structure and the Raman vibrational spectrum of the beryllium aquacation

The experimental Raman vibrational spectrum of the 5.94 m water solution of the beryllium(II) chloride has been acquired. Theoretical frequencies, infrared and Raman intensities of the vibrational spectrum of the beryllium cation tetrahydrate have been calculated by means of quantum chemical approach. The peaks of the experimental spectrum have been assigned on the basis of the results of the quantum-chemical calculations. It has been shown that the hydrating surrounding of the aquacation increases effectively the frequency of the beryllium-oxygen stretching vibration by 16% in comparison with the free complex.     

Introducing phase transitions to quantum chemistry: from Trouton's rule to first principles vaporization entropies

In the present study, we employ quantum cluster equilibrium calculations on a small water cluster set in order to derive thermochemical equilibrium properties of the liquid phase as well as the liquid-vapor phase transition. The focus is set on the calculation of liquid phase entropies, from which entropies of vaporization at the normal boiling point of water are derived. Different electronic structure methods are compared and the influences of basis set size and of cooperative effects are discussed. In line with a previous study on the subject [B. Kirchner, J. Chem. Phys. 123, 204116 (2005)], we find that the neglect of cooperativity leads to large errors in the equilibrium cluster populations as well as in the obtained entropy values. In contrast, a correct treatment of the intermolecular many-body interaction yields liquid phase entropies and phase transition entropies being in very good agreement with the experimental reference, thus demonstrating that the quantum cluster equilibrium partition function intrinsically accounts for the shortcomings of the ideal gas partition function often employed in first principles entropy calculations. Comparing the calculated vaporization entropies to the value predicted by Trouton's rule, it is observed that for entropy calculations the consideration of intracluster cooperative effects is more important than the explicit treatment of the intercluster association even in a highly associated liquid such as water. The decomposition of entropy into contributions due to different degrees of freedom implies the need for the accurate treatment of particle indistinguishability and free volume of translation, whereas minor influences should be expected from the vibrational and rotational degrees of freedom and none from the electronic degrees of freedom.     

First principles calculations on structure, bonding, and vibrational frequencies of SiP2

Pyrite type SiP(2) is reinvestigated by first principles calculations on various levels of functionals including local density approximation, generalized gradient approximation, Becke-Lee-Yang-Parr hybrid functional, and the Hartree-Fock method. SiP(2) is seen as a model compound with molecular [P-P] entities and [SiP(6)] octahedra. Structure and bonding are addressed by electronic structure calculations. Special attention is spent on P-P and Si-P bonds in terms of bond lengths and respective stretching modes from simulated Raman spectra. The electronic structure is analyzed in both direct and momentum space by the electron localization function and site projected density of states. The main goals of this work are to understand the nature of chemical bonding in SiP(2) and to compare and contrast the different methods of calculation.     

Electronic and vibrational contributions to first hyperpolarizability of donor-acceptor-substituted azobenzene

In this study we report on the electronic and vibrational (hyper)polarizabilities of donor-acceptor-substituted azobenzene. It is observed that both electronic and vibrational contributions to the electric dipole first hyperpolarizability of investigated photoactive molecule substantially depend on the conformation. The contributions to the nuclear relaxation first hyperpolarizability are found to be quite important in the case of two considered isomers (cis and trans). Although the double-harmonic term is found to be the largest in terms of magnitude, it is shown that the total value of the nuclear relaxation contribution to vibrational first hyperpolarizability is a result of subtle interplay of higher-order contributions. As a part of the study, we also assess the performance of long-range-corrected density functional theory in determining vibrational contributions to electric dipole (hyper)polarizabilities. In most cases, the applied long-range-corrected exchange-correlation potentials amend the drawbacks of their conventional counterparts.