Sc3N and Sc2C2 encapsulated B40: Smarter than its carbon analogue

A detailed comparative investigation on the recently synthesised B₄₀ and C₄₀ along with their metal nitride (Sc₃N)and carbide (Sc₂C₂) encapsulated endohedral fullerenes, is performed under density functional theory for the first time. The structures, electronic, thermodynamic and magnetic properties of all the considered compounds are explored in detail. The present study identifies borospherene (B₄₀) and its encapsulated nitride (Sc₃N@B₄₀) and carbide (Sc₂C₂@B₄₀) endohedral borofullerenes as the better candidates for future novel nano-applications compared to their carbon bucky ball analogues.     

Comparison of the structural,electronic and magnetic properties of Fe,Co and Ni nanowires encapsulated into silicon carbide nanotube

A similar optimized structure, i.e. a near square cross-section shape for outside nanotube and a relative rotation between nanowire and its outside nanotube, is obtained for the transition-metal M₁₃ (M = Fe, Co, Ni) nanowires with the FCC structure encapsulated inside the armchair (8, 8) silicon carbide nanotube [ M₁₃@(8, 8)] . It is also found that the stabilities of M₁₃ nanowires are enhanced by silicon carbide nanotube encapsulation. Although the spin polarization P of each hybrid system is slightly lowered with respect to the corresponding free-standing nanowire, the largest spin polarization value 71% of Co₁₃@(8, 8) among the three hybrid systems suggests it could be utilized to construct efficient spin transport devices. As compared with the corresponding free-standing nanowire, the magnetic moments μ₁ and μ₂ for the peripheral M₁ (especially) and M₂ atoms are decreased, while the magnetic moments μ₃ and μ₄ for the interior M₃ and M₄ atoms are increased for each M₁₃@(8, 8) hybrid system. In particular, different from the bulk FCC Fe that is antiferromagnetic, the minimum energy magnetic structure of FCC Fe₁₃ free-standing nanowire is ferromagnetic. Furthermore, contrary to the cases of Co₁₃ and Ni₁₃ nanowires, the ferromagnetism is further enhanced after Fe₁₃ nanowire is encapsulated inside (8, 8) silicon carbide nanotube.     

First principles study of small cobalt clusters encapsulated in C60 and C82 spherical nanocages

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the small Co_n clusters (n = 2-7) endohedrally doped in C₆₀ (Ih) and C₈₂ (C2v) fullerenes were investigated using ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory. It is found that the encapsulated Co_n clusters inside C₆₀ and C₈₂ cages are energetically favorable except for Co₇@C₆₀. The encapsulation does not change significantly the structure of the enclosed clusters, but the magnetic moment of the clusters reduces due to a stronger Co-C hybridization for the larger clusters.     

Structural and optical properties of the M@C59X cages (X=N,B and M=Li,Na)

Using B3LYP/6-31G* density functional level of theory, the structural and optical properties of the C₆₀ and M@C₅₉X cages have been investigated. Results indicate that the charge on C atoms and band gap of C₆₀ cage are changed dramatically with the substitution of one B or N atom at one of the C sites and the Li and Na atom encapsulations in the C₆₀ cage. The Mulliken analyses show that the charge is transferred completely between the alkali atoms and the C₅₉X cage. The substitutional and encapsulation doping (SED) reduce the optical gaps of the C₆₀ cage. Also, the oscillator strengths of the absorption peaks are dependent on dopant types.     

Correlative atomic scale characterisation of secondary carbides in M50 bearing steel

Correlative atom probe tomography (APT) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to characterise the microstructure and chemistry of carbide precipitation in M50 bearing steel. This is a prerequisite in establishing relationships between the microstructure and hydrogen embrittlement (HE) resistance. Secondary carbides are the focus of this study, as they play a major role in improving HE-resistance. Secondary carbides are observed in APT, with compositions close to M₄C_3, M₂C and M₃C. Correlative TEM measured orientation relationships between the martensite matrix and carbides, enabling the confirmation of M₃C cementite precipitates in the corresponding APT reconstruction. Additionally, other precipitates observed in TEM were correlated to the M₂C carbides in APT data. The M₄C₃ carbides are found to have a significantly lower volume fraction than the M₂C carbides.     

MC6Li6 (M = Li,Na and K): a new series of aromatic superalkalis

Organic superalkalis are carbon-based species possessing lower ionisation energy than alkali atom. We study the MC₆Li₆ (M?=?Li, Na, and K) complexes and their cations by decorating hexalithiobenzene with an alkali atom using density functional theory. All MC₆Li₆ complexes are stable against dissociation into M?+?C₆Li₆ fragments, irrespective of their charge. Furthermore, their degree of aromaticity increases monotonically from M?=?Li to K, unlike MC₆Li₆ ⁺ cations, which are not aromatic as suggested by their NICS values. The adiabatic ionisation energies of MC₆Li₆ (2.60–2.78?eV) and vertical electron affinities of MC₆Li₆ ⁺ (2.32–2.62?eV) suggest that MC₆Li₆ species form a new series of aromatic superalkalis. The superalkali nature of MC₆Li₆ ⁺ and its relation with NICS values are explained on the basis of the positive charge delocalisation. We believe that these species will not only enrich the aromatic superalkalis but also their possible applications will be explored.     

Spin‐polarized electron gas in Co2M Si/SrTiO3 (M = Ti,V, Cr,Mn, and Fe) heterostructures

Spin‐polarized density functional theory is used to study the TiO₂ terminated interfaces between the magnetic Heusler alloys Co₂Si (M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, and Fe) and the non‐polar band insulator SrTiO₃. The structural relaxation at the interface turns out to depend systematically on the lattice mis‐ match. Charge transfer from the Heusler alloys (mainly the M 3d orbitals) to the Ti d_xy orbitals of the TiO₂ interface layer is found to gradually grow from M = Ti to Fe, resulting in an electron gas with increasing density of spin‐polarized charge carriers. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Diamondlike nanocomposite a-C:H:Cr Coatings: Structure,mechanical, and tribological properties

The results from a comprehensive investigation of the structure, phase and chemical composition, microhardness, and nanomechanical and tribological properties of chromium-doped coatings of hydrogenised amorphous carbon a-C:H:Cr are presented. The coatings are deposited via reactive magnetron sputtering in an Ar + C₂H₂ + N₂ gas mixture at various volume concentrations of nitrogen and acetylene. It is found that the carbon in the coatings is formed as disordered mixtures of domains with tetrahedral (sp ³) and hexagonal (sp ²) carbon coordinations. In addition, the doping metal in the coating consists of nanosized inclusions of metallic chromium and its carbide and nitride phases. Additional nitrogen doping resulting in the formation of chromium nitride is shown to improve the micromechanical and tribological properties of the obtained coatings.     

Formation of metallofullerenes by laser ablation of externally doped fullerenes C60Mx (M=Sm, Pt and Ni)

Photofragmentation of metal fullerides C₆₀M_x (M=Sm, Pt and Ni) has been studied by excimer laser ablation–TOF mass spectrometry. Metallofullerenes of the type C_nM (n<60) have been observed in both the positive and negative ionic modes, with C₅₉M being the most prominent species. It is supposed that the metal atom is incorporated into the network of the fullerene cage to replace one carbon atom of the cage, forming substitutional metallofullerene. The occurrence of the C₅₉M, C₅₈M, C₅₇M clusters in the mass spectra is confirmed by the coincidence of the intensity distribution of the mass peaks with the isotopic abundance pattern calculated from the natural abundance of isotopes of C and M. Odd-numbered high-carbon clusters are observed in our laser ablation study of all the metal fullerides in the negative ion channel. The evolution of the mass spectra of these samples with laser irradiation shots indicates that the transformation process from an externally doped fullerene to the substitutionally doped fullerene involves the loss of metal carbide, MC. The structures of metallofullerenes C_2n+1M and C_2nM with even and odd total numbers of atoms respectively are discussed. Formation mechanisms with the participation of odd-numbered all-carbon fullerene clusters as intermediates are supposed. Received: 18 June 2001 / Accepted: 28 September 2001 / Published online: 2 May 2002     

Isotopic effects on non-linearity, molecular radius and intermolecular free length

Computation of non-linearity parameter (B/A), molecular radius (r _m) and intermolecular free length (L _f) for H₂O, C₆H₆, C₆H₁₂, CH₃OH, C₂H₅OH and their deuterium-substituted compounds have been carried out at four different temperatures, viz., 293.15, 303.15, 313.15 and 323.15 K. The aim of the investigation is an attempt to study the isotopic effects on the non-linearity parameter and the physicochemical properties of the liquids, which in turn has been used to study their effect on the intermolecular interactions produced thereof.     

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Fen@C60 and Fen@C80 (n=2-7) endohedral metallofullerene nano-cages: First principles study

We studied the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of small Fe_n clusters (n=2-7) endohedrally doped in icosahedral C₆₀ and C₈₀ fullerenes using first principles calculations based on the density functional theory. It is found that the encapsulated Fe_n clusters inside icosahedral C₈₀ are energetically favorable while Fe_n@C₆₀ metallofullerene nano-cages are not. The binding energies of the Fe_n encapsulated in C₆₀ are positive and increase with the number of iron atoms (n) while those of the Fe_n@C₈₀ are negative and their absolute values increase up to n=6. The encapsulation does not significantly change the enclosed cluster structure, but the total magnetic moment of the larger clusters reduces due to a stronger Fe-C hybridization.     

Structural,elastic, electronic and thermal properties of M2SbP (M = Ti,Zr and Hf)

The structural, elastic, electronic and thermal properties of M₂SbP (M = Ti, Zr and Hf) were studied by means of a pseudo-potential plane-wave method based on the density functional theory within both the local density approximation and the generalised gradient approximation. The optimised zero-pressure geometrical parameters, i.e. the two unit cell lengths (a, c) and the internal coordinate (z), were in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. The effect of high pressure, up to 20 GPa, on the lattice constants shows that the contractions along the a-axis were higher than along c-axis. The anisotropic independent elastic constants were calculated using the static finite strain technique. Numerical estimations of the bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, average sound velocity and Debye temperature for ideal polycrystalline M₂SbP aggregates were performed in the framework of the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation. The calculated band structures show that all studied materials are electrical conductors. Analysis of the atomic site projected densities showed that the bonding is of covalent–ionic nature with the presence of metallic character. The density of states at the Fermi level is dictated by the transition metal d–d bands; the Sb element has little effect. Thermal effects on some macroscopic properties of M₂SbP were predicted using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the lattice vibrations are taken into account. The variations of the volume expansion coefficient, heat capacity and Debye temperature with pressure and temperature in the ranges 0–50 GPa and 0–2000 K were obtained successfully.     

First-principles study of nanotubes within the tetragonal,hexagonal and dodecagonal cycle structures

A systematic study has been done on the structural and electronic properties of carbon, boron nitride and aluminum nitride nanotubes with structure consisting of periodically distributed tetragonal (T ≡A₂X₂), hexagonal (H ≡A₃X₃) and dodecagonal (D ≡A₆X₆) (AX=C₂, BN, AlN) cycles. The method has been performed using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The optimized lattice parameters, density of state (DOS) curves and band structure of THD-NTs are obtained for (3, 0) and (0, 2) types. Our calculation results indicate that carbon nanotubes of these types (THD-CNTs) behave as a metallic, but the boron nitride nanotubes (THD-BNNTs) (with a band gap of around 4 eV) as well as aluminum nitride nanotubes (THD-AlNNTs) (with a band gap of around 2.6 eV) behave as an semiconductor. The inequality in number of atoms in different directions is affected on structures and diameters of nanotubes and their walls curvature.     

GREAT MAGNETIC ENTROPY CHANGE IN La(Fe, M)13 (M=Si, Al) WITH Co DOPING

Very large magnetic entropy change Δ S_M, which originates from a fully reversible second-order transition at Curie temperature T_C, has been discovered in compounds La(Fe, Si)₁₃, La(Fe, Al)₁₃ and those with Co doping. The maximum change ΔS_M\approx19 J·kg^-1·K^-1, achieved in LaFe_11.4Si_1.6 at 209K upon a 5T magnetic field change, exceeds that of Gd by more than a factor of 2. The T_C of the Co-doped compounds shifts to higher temperatures. ΔS_M still has a considerable large magnitude near room temperature. The phenomena of very large ΔS_M, convenience of adjustment of T_C, and also thesuperiority of low cost, strongly suggest that the compounds La(Fe, M)₁₃ (M=Si, Al) with Co doping are suitable candidates for magnetic refrigerants at high temperatures.     

Optical study of a pulsed molecular beam

By using absorption spectra in a pulsed molecular beam, the rotational temperature and the flow density of the jet are deduced. By using this technique, a comparison between a pulsed and a continuous beam is also reported for NH₃, CF₂Cl₂, and C₂H₃Cl molecular beams. Moreover, the behaviour of the temperature and density inside the pulsed beam is analyzed as a function of time for pure Ammonia. From these measurements, we deduce that a small improvement is obtained for absorption spectroscopy in the jet by using a pulsed molecular beam.     

Magnetism and hyperfine interactions in EuM2Ge2 and GdM2Ge2(M = Mn,Fe, Co,Ni, Cu)

X-ray, magnetic susceptibility and ¹⁵¹Eu, ¹⁵⁵Gd Mössbauer effect studies of EuM₂Ge₂ and GdM₂Ge₂ were performed. All compounds crystallize in the ThCr₂Si₂ body centered tetragonal structure. In all compounds, except those with M = Mn and in EuM₂Ge₂, the M component carries no magnetic moment. All compounds except those with Mn are antiferromagnetic at low temperatures. In EuMn₂Ge₂ the Mn moments order ferromagnetically at 330 K and change to antiferromagnetic order when the Eu moments order ferromagnetically (9 K). This behaviour is different from that in GdMn₂Ge₂, where the Mn sublattice orders antiferromagnetically at 365 K and becomes ferromagnetic and antiparallel to the ferromagnetic Gd sublattice at 96 K. The Mössbauer studies of ¹⁵¹Eu and ¹⁵¹Gd provide values for the magnetic hyperfine fields, the quadrupole interactions and the orientation of the magnetic moments relative to the local fourfold axis (c-axis). It turns out that in the Eu compounds the easy axis of magnetization is close to the c-axis, while in the Gd compounds it is in the basal plane. In all systems, excluding those with Mn, the interatomic rare earth-rare earth distances have the dominant effect on the conduction electron charge density and polarization at the rare earth site and on the Curie point.     

The adsorption kinetics of C2H2, and C2H4 on W(110) at 1100 K

The adsorption kinetics of C₂H₂ and C₂H₄ gases on W(110) have been studied using Auger electron spectroscopy and qualitative LEED. Below 1100 K, adsorption of either C₂H₂; or C₂H₄ does not follow any simple kinetic model to saturation. At 1100 K adsorption is identical for both gases and follows first order monolayer kinetics with unity sticking coefficient and a carbon-to-tungsten atomic ratio of 0.64 ± 0.05. This carbon is present as a surface carbide which starts to in-diffuse about 1500 K and has completely dissolved after a few seconds at 2400 K.     

Possibility for separation of polarizable molecules using electric fields

The motion of polarizable molecules in the presence of nonuniform electric fields is analyzed. The separation of molecular flows in the presence of such fields is theoretically demonstrated. Angular dispersions are estimated for endofullerene (Sc@C₈₂, Y@C₈₂, La@C₈₂, and Gd@C₈₂) and fullerene (C₆₀, C₇₀, C₈₂, and C₈₄) molecules in the presence of the field that is generated by a system of parallel charged wires using the known dipole moments and polarizabilities. The numerical simulation shows that a separator of polarizable molecules can be constructed using such fields.     

MC20F20（M=Li，Na，Be和Mg）几何结构和电子性质的密度泛函计算研究

采用密度泛函理论（density functional theory, DFT）中的广义梯度近似（generalized gradient approximation, GGA）对MC₂₀F₂₀（M=Li,Na,Be和Mg）的几何结构和电子性质进行了计算研究.几何结构研发现：随着内掺原子序数的增加,金属原子M对C₂₀F₂₀中的C—C键的影响越来越大,而对C—F键的影响甚微.掺杂能计算表明：MC₂₀F₂₀的掺杂能均为负值,需要在一定的实验条件下才能被合成.内掺碱金属和碱土金属分别产生了两类截然不同的能隙和磁性.其中,内掺碱金属的能隙非常小,且带有1μ_B的净磁矩,表现出磁性;而内掺碱土金属的能隙比C₆₀的能隙还大,净自旋为0,表现出非磁性. 关键词： 富勒烯 几何结构 电子结构 密度泛函