Adsorption of transition-metal atoms on boron nitride nanotube: a density-functional study

Adsorption of transition atoms on a (8,0) zigzag single-walled boron nitride (BN) nanotube has been investigated using density-functional theory methods. Main focuses have been placed on configurations corresponding to the located minima of the adsorbates, the corresponding binding energies, and the modified electronic properties of the BN nanotubes due to the adsorbates. We have systemically studied a series of metal adsorbates including all 3d transition-metal elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) and two group-VIIIA transition-metal elements (Pd and Pt). We found that many transition-metal atoms can be chemically adsorbed on the outer surface of the BN nanotubes and that the adsorption process is typically exothermic. Upon adsorption, the binding energies of the Sc, Ti, Ni, Pd, and Pt atoms are relatively high (>1.0 eV), while those of V, Fe, and Co atoms are modest, ranging from 0.62 to 0.92 eV. Mn atom forms a weak bond with the BN nanotube, while Zn atom cannot be chemically adsorbed on the BN nanotube. In most cases, the adsorption of transition-metal atoms can induce certain impurity states within the band gap of the pristine BN nanotube, thereby reducing the band gap. Most metal-adsorbed BN nanotubes exhibit nonzero magnetic moments, contributed largely by the transition-metal atoms.     

Dependence of relativistic effects on electronic configuration in the neutral atoms of d- and f-block elements

Although most neutral d- and f-block atoms have nd(g-2)(n + 1)s(2) and (n - 1)f(g-2)(n + 1)s(2) ground configurations, respectively, where g is the group number (i.e., number of valence electrons), one-third of these 63 atoms prefer a higher d-population, namely via (n + 1)s-->nd "outer" to "inner" electron shift (particularly atoms from the second d-row), or via (n - 1)f-->nd "inner" to "outer" electron shift (particularly atoms from the second f-row). Although the response to the modified self-consistent field is orbital destabilization and expansion for (n + 1)s-->nd, and stabilization and contraction for (n - 1)f-->nd, the relativistic modification of the valence orbital responses is stabilization in both cases. This is explained by double perturbation theory. Accordingly, electron configuration and relativity trigger the orbital energies, the orbital populations and the chemical shell effects in different ways. The particularly pronounced relativistic effects in groups 10 and 11, the so-called gold maximum, occur because of particularly efficient cooperative nonrelativistic shell effects and relativistic stabilization effects (inverse indirect effect) at the end of the d-block.     

原子构造原理与过渡元素原子的价电子组态

众所周知,元素周期系过渡元素基态原子价电子组态的多样化是已往的原子构造理论无论是从定性还是从定量方面都是迄今难以给出圆满理论解释的原子构造现象之一^[1-11]。本文介绍新近提出的原子构造的对称性原理以及依据这一原理对上述原子构造现象所作的系统理论解释。     

On the oxidation of EuFe4Sb12 and EuRu4Sb12

Rare-earth-filled transition-metal pnictides having the skutterudite-type structure have been proposed for use as high-temperature thermoelectric materials to recover waste heat from vehicle exhaust, among other applications. A previous investigation by this research group of one of the most studied skutterudites, CeFe(4)Sb(12), found that, when exposed to air, this material oxidized at temperatures that are considerably below the proposed maximum operating temperature. Here, by the combined use of TGA, powder XRD, and XANES, it has been found that the substitution of Ce(3+) and Fe(2+) for larger rare-earth and transition-metal elements (Eu(2+) and Ru(2+)) results in a significantly higher oxidation temperature compared to that of CeFe(4)Sb(12). This increase can be related to the increased orbital overlap provided by these larger atoms (Eu(2+) and Ru(2+) vs Ce(3+) and Fe(2+)), enabling the development of stronger bonds. These results show how selective substitution of the constituent elements can significantly improve the thermal stability of materials.     

Density functionals and transition-metal atoms

Density-functional calculations on transition-metal atoms are problematic due to the numerous possible ways, having inequivalent densities, of occupying the d orbitals. The problem is compounded by the issue of real orbitals versus complex orbitals. In this work we systematize the application of density-functional theories to transition-metal atoms using a current-density-dependent functional. For all the single-determinantal angular momentum eigenstates of ground-state terms, we obtain near degeneracy for the energies as we should. Also, we find a simple rule for occupying the real d orbitals that reproduces the energies of the (complex) angular momentum eigenstate results. Thus the long-standing confusion over how to compute transition-metal atom reference energies is resolved.     

基于密度泛函理论分析团簇ConMoS(n=1~5)电子性质、光学性质及磁性

为了从理论层面深入探究团簇 Co_nMoS(n=1~5)的电子性质、光学性质及磁性,弄清其内在关联,依据拓扑学原理和密度泛函理论,在B3LYP/def2-TZVP量子化学水平和多个自旋多重度下对该团簇进行结构优化并分析。结果表明：团簇ConMoS共有21种稳定构型;通过对NPA(自然布居分析,natural population analysis)电荷、静电势、亲电指数、电离势、光学电负性和折射率等分析得出,金属原子有高概率失去电子,非金属原子相对更容易得到电子,团簇Co₅MoS中的构型5a在最稳定构型中有高的得失电子能力、反应活性和折射率,Co和Mo原子易发生亲核反应,S原子易发生亲电反应;对该团簇自旋布居数、原子磁矩、轨道磁矩和态密度分析发现,该团簇磁性主要由Co原子的d轨道提供,且团簇Co₃MoS表现出了比其它尺寸团簇更为稳定和优异的磁性。最终得出团簇Co₃MoS在磁性方面有较好的表现且构型5a在活性和光学领域有一定的潜力。     

Electron correlation and Hund's rule

It is suggested that simple electronic shielding effects induced by wave function antisymmetrization tend to govern the energy ordering of singlet and triplet terms within a two-electron atomic configuration. This approach gives rise to the following alternating rule: For the term of greatest orbital angular momentum within a configuration, the triplet lies below the singlet. The energy ordering reverses for the term of next highest angular momentum, and continues to alternate with each change of one unit in the orbital angular momentum until the term of lowest angular momentum is reached. In an examination of over 600 energy levels of the elements and their ions, the alternating rule reliably orders singlet–triplet energy levels in some 90% of the cases.     

A comparative first-principles study of orbital hybridization in two-dimensional C, Si, and Ge

Information on orbital hybridization is very important to understand the structural, physical, and chemical properties of a material. Results of a comparative first-principles study on the behaviours of orbital hybridization in the two-dimensional single-element phases by carbon, silicon, and germanium are presented. From the well-known three-dimensional hexagonal lonsdaleite structure, in which the atoms are in ideal sp(3)-bonding, the layer spacing along c-axis is gradually stretched to simulate the evolutions of structural and electronic properties from three-dimensional to two-dimensional lattice configurations in the three materials. A turning point of the total system energy due to the sp(3) to sp(2) transition is observed during this process in carbon. In contrast, no such phenomenon is found in silicon and germanium. The differences in electronic structure and bonding behaviour are further examined through comparative investigation of atomic angular-momentum projected density of states and electronic energy band spectrums of these materials. We demonstrate that the valence electronic orbital in the two-dimensional hexagonal crystals of Si and Ge shows sp(3)-like behaviour for the partial hybridization of s and p(z), which leads to their different lattice configurations to graphene. The role of π-bonds in stabilizing the flat configuration of graphene is also discussed.     

Determination of one-centre core integrals from the average energies of atomic configurations

One-center core integrals for valence orbitals are determined from the experimental average energies of neutral atomic configurations from Li through Zn. These values are compared with those estimated from CNDO /1, “INDO /1”, CNDO /2, “INDO /2” and with theoretical values calculated from a pseudo-potential method. The agreement is good between values obtained from neutral atoms and from the psuedo-potential calculation except for the 3d orbitals of the transition elements where the theoretically calculated integrals over single ξ functions are not realistic. These two methods reproduce both term and average configuration energies for the first two rows of atoms; the semiempirical method reliably reproduces them for the third row. The CNDO /1 and INDO /1 methods underestimate atomic energies, while the CNDO /2 and INDO /2 procedures fail rather poorly. The propriety of using core integrals estimated semiempirically in molecular orbital calculations is discussed.     

DFT Predictions on Structures and Stabilities of Eleven-vertex nido-and cioso-Heteroboranes

Based on the octadecahedron of eleven-vertex closo-borane,the eleven-vertex closo-heteroborane was suggested with nonmetallic atoms instead of the different nonequivalent boron,and the stabilities were predicted at G96PW91/6-31+G(3d,2p) level.The small heteroatoms,C,N,O,preferentially occupy vertex 2 with the absolutely lowest relative energy to form the high stabilization closo-heteroboranes.They cap four-membered rings to satisfy the geometrical demand of short B-Z bonds.The electron attractions from the vicinal boron atoms make the frameworks shrink.Differently,Si and Ge preferentially substitute for boron at vertex 1 with six tight B-Z bonds and form stabilized molecules.P,As,S,and Se tend to occupy vertex 4 and the optimized structures belong to the nido configurations,in contrast to high electronegative heteroatoms,S and Se transfer less negative charges to framework and the electropositive heteroatoms,Si and Ge transfer more negative charges to framework to form the delocalization structures.The HOMO-LUMO gaps show that most of predicted clusters possess chemical stabilities.The substitutions of heteroatoms for boron atoms in eleven-vertex closo-hcteroboranes are consistent with the topological charge stabilization rule proposed by Gimarc.     

基于密度泛函理论分析团簇ConMoS(n=1~5)电子性质、光学性质及磁性

为了从理论层面深入探究团簇Co_nMoS （n=1~5）的电子性质、光学性质及磁性,弄清其内在关联,依据拓扑学原理和密度泛函理论,在B3LYP/def2-TZVP量子化学水平和多个自旋多重度下对该团簇进行结构优化并分析。结果表明：团簇Co_nMoS共有21种稳定构型;通过对NPA （自然布居分析,natural population analysis）电荷、静电势、亲电指数、电离势、光学电负性和折射率等分析得出,金属原子有高概率失去电子,非金属原子相对更容易得到电子,团簇Co₅MoS中的构型5a在最稳定构型中有高的得失电子能力、反应活性和折射率,Co和Mo原子易发生亲核反应,S原子易发生亲电反应;对该团簇自旋布居数、原子磁矩、轨道磁矩和态密度分析发现,该团簇磁性主要由Co原子的d轨道提供,且团簇Co₃MoS表现出了比其它尺寸团簇更为稳定和优异的磁性。最终得出团簇Co₃MoS在磁性方面有较好的表现且构型5a在活性和光学领域有一定的潜力。     

电子自旋、微观可区分性及化学键

本文从分析电子自旋磁矩 (磁极 )的空间性质入手,讨论了电子的可区分性。通过讨论2个电子自旋组态的 8种形式,其中,包括 4种磁极吸引的耦合态、4种磁矩排斥的非耦合态,同理,电子轨旋运动也存在 4种耦合态。自旋耦合、轨旋全耦合需要 8个电子,所以元素周期性为 8音律。磁矩耦合是形成化学键的第一要求,第二才是异核吸引作用 ;化学键的广义表达语言应该是:化学键只能由磁矩耦合的电子组成。对电子的波粒二象性和测不准原理进行了新的理论解释,并讨论了波粒二象性和测不准现象的物理模型。该模型与电子的微观可区分性相一致。     

Calculated valence electronic structure of 3d metals for use in the X-ray intensity ratio studies

3d occupation numbers of the transition elements corresponding to various types of atomic configurations are calculated by means of the linear muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) method. This data is used with the multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock (MCDF) X-ray intensity ratios to estimate the electron populations of the 3d metals in alloys.     

一种价态元素电负性的新标度

本文利用原子的价层轨道能、共价半径和有效主量子数为主要参数，以静电力为基础计算了价态元素电负性，本文计算了78种元素常见价态的电负性，由此，产生了一套价态元素电负性的新标度，其计算公式为：X_y=0.070n^*(-∑E_i)^1/2/r_c²+0.820式中E_i为原子的价层轨道能，r_c为原子的共价半径，n^*为有效主量子数。该标度不但容易理解和计算,而且标度值比已有的文献值更接近传统的鲍林电负性值。此外，该标度值的相对大小还能反映配合物的稳定性，过渡金属收缩和镧系元素收缩等性质。     

Correlation effects and electronic properties of Cr-substituted SZn with an intermediate band

A study using first principles of the electronic properties of S32Zn31Cr, a material derived from the SZn host semiconductor where a Cr atom has been substituted for each of the 32 Zn atoms, is presented. This material has an intermediate band sandwiched between the valence and conduction bands of the host semiconductor, which in a formal band-theoretic picture is metallic because the Fermi energy is located within the impurity band. The potential technological application of these materials is that when they are used to absorb photons in solar cells, the efficiency increases significantly with respect to the host semiconductor. An analysis of the gaps, bandwidths, density of states, total and orbital charges, and electronic density is carried out. The main effects of the local-density approximation with a Hubbard term corrections are an increase in the bandwidth, a modification of the relative composition of the five d and p transition-metal orbitals, and a splitting of the intermediate band. The results demonstrate that the main contribution to the intermediate band is the Cr atom. For values of U greater than 6 eV, where U is the empirical Hubbard term U parameter, this band is unfolded, thus creating two bands, a full one below the Fermi energy and an empty one above it, i.e., a metal-insulator transition.     

SCF-CI MO treatment of radicals having degenerate ground states

A form of the configuration interaction method is described which accommodates radicals having a doubly degenerate molecular orbital occupied by one or three electrons. The procedure covers all types of excited configurations corresponding formally to one-electron promotions from the ground state. The matrix elements derived are based on the SCF MO's given by the half-electron method. The computational scheme is applied, in the CNDO and PPP-like approaches, to the interpretation of the electronic spectrum of the cyclopentadienyl radical.     

Revised model core potentials for second-row transition metal atoms from Y to Cd

We have produced new relativistic model core potentials (spdsMCPs) for the second-row transition-metal atoms from Y to Cd treating explicitly 4s and 4p electrons in addition to 4d and 5s electrons in the same manner as for the first-row transition-metal atoms given in [Y. Osanai, M.S. Mon, T. Noro, H. Mori, H. Nakashima, M. Klobukowski, E. Miyoshi, Chem. Phys. Lett. 452 (2008) 210]. Using suitable correlating functions together with the split valence MCP functions, we demonstrate that the present MCP basis sets show reasonable performance in predicting the electronic structures of atoms and molecules, bringing about accurate excitation energies for atoms and reasonable spectroscopic constants for AgH.     

The general scheme of using non-orthogonal radial orbitals in a complex electronic configuration of the atom

A theory for using non-orthogonal radial orbitals between shells with identical orbital quantum numbers, in the case of complex configurations, is presented. Construction of the antisymmetric wave function of the whole configuration, with the help of antisymmetrical wave functions of individual shells, is described. General methods of calculating matrix elements of one- and two-electron operators are given.     

Localized orbital corrections for the calculation of ionization potentials and electron affinities in density functional theory

This paper describes the extension of a previously reported empirical localized orbital correction model to the correction of ionization potential energies (IP) and electron affinities (EA) for atoms and molecules of first and second row elements. The B3LYP localized orbital correction version of the model (B3LYP-LOC) uses 22 heuristically determined parameters that improve B3LYP DFT IP and EA energy calculations on the G2 data set of 134 molecules from a mean absolute deviation (MAD) from experiment of 0.137 to 0.039 eV. The method significantly reduces the number of outliers and overall MAD to error levels below that achieved with G2 wave function based theory; furthermore, the new model has zero additional computational cost beyond standard DFT calculations. Although the model is heuristic and is based on a multiple linear regression to experimental errors, each of the parameters is justified on physical grounds, and each provides insight into the fundamental limitations of DFT, most importantly the failure of current DFT methods to accurately account for nondynamical electron correlation.