1
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Pireddu G, Fairchild CJ, Niblett SP, Cox SJ, Rotenberg B. Impedance of nanocapacitors from molecular simulations to understand the dynamics of confined electrolytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318157121. [PMID: 38662549 PMCID: PMC11067016 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318157121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanoelectrochemical devices have become a promising candidate technology across various applications, including sensing and energy storage, and provide new platforms for studying fundamental properties of electrode/electrolyte interfaces. In this work, we employ constant-potential molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the impedance of gold-aqueous electrolyte nanocapacitors, exploiting a recently introduced fluctuation-dissipation relation. In particular, we relate the frequency-dependent impedance of these nanocapacitors to the complex conductivity of the bulk electrolyte in different regimes, and use this connection to design simple but accurate equivalent circuit models. We show that the electrode/electrolyte interfacial contribution is essentially capacitive and that the electrolyte response is bulk-like even when the interelectrode distance is only a few nanometers, provided that the latter is sufficiently large compared to the Debye screening length. We extensively compare our simulation results with spectroscopy experiments and predictions from analytical theories. In contrast to experiments, direct access in simulations to the ionic and solvent contributions to the polarization allows us to highlight their significant and persistent anticorrelation and to investigate the microscopic origin of the timescales observed in the impedance spectrum. This work opens avenues for the molecular interpretation of impedance measurements, and offers valuable contributions for future developments of accurate coarse-grained representations of confined electrolytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Pireddu
- Physico-Chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux (PHENIX), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, ParisF-75005, France
| | - Connie J. Fairchild
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel P. Niblett
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J. Cox
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Rotenberg
- Physico-Chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux (PHENIX), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, ParisF-75005, France
- Réseau sur le Stockage Electrochimique de l’Energie, Fédération de Recherche CNRS 3459, Amiens Cedex80039, France
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2
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Sitlapersad RS, Thornton AR, den Otter WK. Charging and discharging a supercapacitor in molecular simulations. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:044111. [PMID: 38275193 DOI: 10.1063/5.0177103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
As the world moves more toward unpredictable renewable energy sources, better energy storage devices are required. Supercapacitors are a promising technology to meet the demand for short-term, high-power energy storage. Clearly, understanding their charging and discharging behaviors is essential to improving the technology. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations provide microscopic insights into the complex interplay between the dynamics of the ions in the electrolyte and the evolution of the charge distributions on the electrodes. Traditional MD simulations of (dis)charging supercapacitors impose a pre-determined evolving voltage difference between the electrodes, using the Constant Potential Method (CPM). Here, we present an alternative method that explicitly simulates the charge flow to and from the electrodes. For a disconnected capacitor, i.e., an open circuit, the charges are allowed to redistribute within each electrode while the sum charges on both electrodes remain constant. We demonstrate, for a model capacitor containing an aqueous salt solution, that this method recovers the charge-potential curve of CPM simulations. The equilibrium voltage fluctuations are related to the differential capacitance. We next simulate a closed circuit by introducing equations of motion for the sum charges, by explicitly accounting for the external circuit element(s). Charging and discharging of the model supercapacitor via a resistance proceed by double exponential processes, supplementing the usual time scale set by the electrolyte dynamics with a novel time scale set by the external circuit. Finally, we propose a simple equivalent circuit that reproduces the main characteristics of this supercapacitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranisha S Sitlapersad
- Department of Fluid and Thermal Engineering and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Anthony R Thornton
- Department of Fluid and Thermal Engineering and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter K den Otter
- Department of Fluid and Thermal Engineering and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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3
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Sitlapersad RS, Thornton AR, den Otter WK. A simple efficient algorithm for molecular simulations of constant potential electrodes. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:034107. [PMID: 38235800 DOI: 10.1063/5.0171502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, society requires high power, high energy storage devices for applications ranging from electric vehicles to buffers on the electric grid. Supercapacitors are a promising contribution to meeting these demands, though there still remain unsolved practical problems. Molecular dynamics simulations can shed light on the relevant molecular level processes in electric double layer capacitors, but these simulations are computationally very demanding. Our focus here is on the algorithmic complexity of the constant potential method (CPM), which uses dedicated electrostatics solvers to maintain a fixed potential difference between two conducting electrodes. We show how any standard electrostatics solver-capable of calculating the energies and forces on all atoms-can be used to implement CPM with a minimum of coding. As an example, we compare our generalized implementation of CPM, based on invocations of the particle-particle-particle-mesh routine of the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator, with a traditional implementation based on a dedicated re-implementation of Ewald summation. Both methods yield comparable results on four test systems, with the former achieving a substantial gain in speed and improved scalability. The step from dedicated electrostatic solvers to generic routines is made possible by noting that CPM's traditional narrow Gaussian point-spread of atomic charges on the electrodes effectively endows point-like atoms with chemical hardness, i.e., an intra-atomic energy quadratic in the charge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranisha S Sitlapersad
- Department of Fluid and Thermal Engineering and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Anthony R Thornton
- Department of Fluid and Thermal Engineering and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter K den Otter
- Department of Fluid and Thermal Engineering and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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4
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Vahid H, Scacchi A, Sammalkorpi M, Ala-Nissila T. Nonmonotonic electrophoretic mobility of rodlike polyelectrolytes by multivalent coions in added salt. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:014501. [PMID: 38366448 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.014501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
It is well established that when multivalent counterions or salts are added to a solution of highly charged polyelectrolytes (PEs), correlation effects can cause charge inversion of the PE, leading to electrophoretic mobility (EM) reversal. In this work, we use coarse-grained molecular-dynamics simulations to unravel the less understood effect of coion valency on EM reversal for rigid DNA-like PEs. We find that EM reversal induced by multivalent counterions is suppressed with increasing coion valency in the salt added and eventually vanishes. Further, we find that EM is enhanced at fixed low salt concentrations for salts with monovalent counterions when multivalent coions with increasing valency are introduced. However, increasing the salt concentration causes a crossover that leads to EM reversal which is enhanced by increasing coion valency at high salt concentration. Remarkably, this multivalent coion-induced EM reversal persists even for low values of PE linear charge densities where multivalent counterions alone cannot induce EM reversal. These results facilitate tuning PE-PE interactions and self-assembly with both coion and counterion valencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Vahid
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Alberto Scacchi
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Maria Sammalkorpi
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Tapio Ala-Nissila
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Quantum Technology Finland Center of Excellence, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, 00076 Aalto, Finland
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
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5
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Cats P, Härtel A. In-plane structure of the electric double layer in the primitive model using classical density functional theory. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:184707. [PMID: 37955323 DOI: 10.1063/5.0176309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The electric double layer (EDL) has a pivotal role in screening charges on surfaces as in supercapacitor electrodes or colloidal and polymer solutions. Its structure is determined by correlations between the finite-sized ionic charge carriers of the underlying electrolyte, and, this way, these correlations affect the properties of the EDL and of applications utilizing EDLs. We study the structure of EDLs within classical density functional theory (DFT) in order to uncover whether a structural transition in the first layer of the EDL that is driven by changes in the surface potential depends on specific particle interactions or has a general footing. This transition has been found in full-atom simulations. Thus far, investigating the in-plane structure of the EDL for the primitive model (PM) using DFT has proved a challenge. We show here that the use of an appropriate functional predicts the in-plane structure of EDLs in excellent agreement with molecular dynamics simulations. This provides the playground to investigate how the structure factor within a layer parallel to a charged surface changes as a function of both the applied surface potential and its separation from the surface. We discuss pitfalls in properly defining an in-plane structure factor and fully map out the structure of the EDL within the PM for a wide range of electrostatic electrode potentials. However, we do not find any signature of a structural crossover and conclude that the previously reported effect is not fundamental but rather occurs due to the specific force field of ions used in the simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Cats
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Härtel
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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6
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Hoang Ngoc Minh T, Kim J, Pireddu G, Chubak I, Nair S, Rotenberg B. Electrical noise in electrolytes: a theoretical perspective. Faraday Discuss 2023; 246:198-224. [PMID: 37409620 DOI: 10.1039/d3fd00026e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Seemingly unrelated experiments such as electrolyte transport through nanotubes, nano-scale electrochemistry, NMR relaxometry and surface force balance measurements, all probe electrical fluctuations: of the electric current, the charge and polarization, the field gradient (for quadrupolar nuclei) and the coupled mass/charge densities. The fluctuations of such various observables arise from the same underlying microscopic dynamics of the ions and solvent molecules. In principle, the relevant length and time scales of these dynamics are encoded in the dynamic structure factors. However, modelling the latter for frequencies and wavevectors spanning many orders of magnitude remains a great challenge to interpret the experiments in terms of physical processes such as solvation dynamics, diffusion, electrostatic and hydrodynamic interactions between ions, interactions with solid surfaces, etc. Here, we highlight the central role of the charge-charge dynamic structure factor in the fluctuations of electrical observables in electrolytes and offer a unifying perspective over a variety of complementary experiments. We further analyze this quantity in the special case of an aqueous NaCl electrolyte, using simulations with explicit ions and an explicit or implicit solvent. We discuss the ability of the standard Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory to capture the simulation results, and how the predictions can be improved. We finally discuss the contributions of ions and water to the total charge fluctuations. This work illustrates an ongoing effort towards a comprehensive understanding of electrical fluctuations in bulk and confined electrolytes, in order to enable experimentalists to decipher the microscopic properties encoded in the measured electrical noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thê Hoang Ngoc Minh
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Jeongmin Kim
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Giovanni Pireddu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Iurii Chubak
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Swetha Nair
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Benjamin Rotenberg
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, F-75005 Paris, France.
- Réseau sur le Stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), FR CNRS 3459, 80039 Amiens Cedex, France
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7
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Seal A, Tiwari U, Gupta A, Govind Rajan A. Incorporating ion-specific van der Waals and soft repulsive interactions in the Poisson-Boltzmann theory of electrical double layers. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:21708-21722. [PMID: 37551893 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp00745f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Electrical double layers (EDLs) arise when an electrolyte is in contact with a charged surface, and are encountered in several application areas including batteries, supercapacitors, electrocatalytic reactors, and colloids. Over the last century, the development of Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) models and their modified versions have provided significant physical insight into the structure and dynamics of the EDL. Incorporation of physics such as finite-ion-size effects, dielectric decrement, and ion-ion correlations has made such models increasingly accurate when compared to more computationally expensive approaches such as molecular simulations and classical density functional theory. However, a prominent knowledge gap has been the exclusion of van der Waals (vdW) and soft repulsive interactions in modified PB models. Although short-ranged as compared to electrostatic interactions, we show here that vdW and soft repulsive interactions can play an important role in determining the structure of the EDL via the formation of a Stern layer and in modulating the differential capacitance of an electrode in an electrolyte. To this end, we incorporate ion-ion and wall-ion vdW attraction and soft repulsion via a 12-6 Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential, resulting in a modified PB-LJ approach. The wall-ion LJ interactions were found to have a significant effect on the electrical potential and concentration profiles, especially close to the wall. However, ion-ion LJ interactions do not affect the EDL structure at low bulk ion concentrations (<1 M). We also derive dimensionless numbers to quantify the impact of ion-ion and wall-ion LJ interactions on the EDL. Furthermore, in the pursuit of capturing ion-specific effects, we apply our model by considering various ions such as Na, K+, Mg2+, Cl-, and SO42-. We observe how varying parameters such as the electrolyte concentration and electrode potential affect the structure of the EDL due to the competition between ion-specific LJ and electrostatic interactions. Lastly, we show that the inclusion of vdW and soft repulsion interactions, as well as hydration effects, leads to a better qualitative agreement of the PB models with experimental double-layer differential capacitance data. Overall, the modified PB-LJ approach presented herein will lead to more accurate theoretical descriptions of EDLs in various application areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniruddha Seal
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Khurda, Odisha 752050, India
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India.
| | - Utkarsh Tiwari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Zuarinagar, Goa 403726, India
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India.
| | - Ankur Gupta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Ananth Govind Rajan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India.
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8
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Vahid H, Scacchi A, Sammalkorpi M, Ala-Nissila T. Interactions between Rigid Polyelectrolytes Mediated by Ordering and Orientation of Multivalent Nonspherical Ions in Salt Solutions. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:158202. [PMID: 37115871 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.158202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Multivalent ions in solutions with polyelectrolytes (PEs) induce electrostatic correlations that can drastically change ion distributions around the PEs and their mutual interactions. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we show how in addition to valency, ion shape and concentration can be harnessed as tools to control rigid like-charged PE-PE interactions. We demonstrate a correlation between the orientational ordering of aspherical ions and how they mediate the effective PE-PE attraction induced by multivalency. The interaction type, strength, and range can thus be externally controlled in ionic solutions. Our results can be used as generic guidelines to tune the self-assembly of like-charged polyelectrolytes by variation of the characteristics of the ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Vahid
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Alberto Scacchi
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Maria Sammalkorpi
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Tapio Ala-Nissila
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Quantum Technology Finland Center of Excellence, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
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9
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Chen W, Zhang LL, Wei Z, Zhang MK, Cai J, Chen YX. The electrostatic effect and its role in promoting electrocatalytic reactions by specifically adsorbed anions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:8317-8330. [PMID: 36892566 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04547h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The adsorption of anions and its impact on electrocatalytic reactions are fundamental topics in electrocatalysis. Previous studies revealed that adsorbed anions display an overall poisoning effect in most cases. However, for a few reactions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxidation of small organic molecules (SOMs), and reduction of CO2 and O2, some specifically adsorbed anions can promote their reaction kinetics under certain conditions. The promotion effect is frequently attributed to the adsorbate induced modification of the nature of the active sites, the change of the adsorption configuration and free energy of the key reactive intermediate which consequently change the activation energy, the pre-exponential factor of the rate determining step etc. In this paper, we will give a mini review of the indispensable role of the classical double layer effect in enhancing the kinetics of electrocatalytic reactions by anion adsorption. The ubiquitous electrostatic interactions change both the potential distribution and the concentration distribution of ionic species across the electric double layer (EDL), which alters the electrochemical driving force and effective concentration of the reactants. The contribution to the overall kinetics is highlighted by taking HER, oxidation of SOMs, reduction of CO2 and O2, as examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Lu-Lu Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Zhen Wei
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Meng-Ke Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Jun Cai
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Yan-Xia Chen
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
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10
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Hoang Ngoc Minh T, Stoltz G, Rotenberg B. Frequency and field-dependent response of confined electrolytes from Brownian dynamics simulations. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:104103. [PMID: 36922117 DOI: 10.1063/5.0139258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Using Brownian dynamics simulations, we investigate the effects of confinement, adsorption on surfaces, and ion-ion interactions on the response of confined electrolyte solutions to oscillating electric fields in the direction perpendicular to the confining walls. Nonequilibrium simulations allows to characterize the transitions between linear and nonlinear regimes when varying the magnitude and frequency of the applied field, but the linear response, characterized by the frequency-dependent conductivity, is more efficiently predicted from the equilibrium current fluctuations. To that end, we (rederive and) use the Green-Kubo relation appropriate for overdamped dynamics, which differs from the standard one for Newtonian or underdamped Langevin dynamics. This expression highlights the contributions of the underlying Brownian fluctuations and of the interactions of the particles between them and with external potentials. Although already known in the literature, this relation has rarely been used to date, beyond the static limit to determine the effective diffusion coefficient or the DC conductivity. The frequency-dependent conductivity always decays from a bulk-like behavior at high frequency to a vanishing conductivity at low frequency due to the confinement of the charge carriers by the walls. We discuss the characteristic features of the crossover between the two regimes, most importantly how the crossover frequency depends on the confining distance and the salt concentration, and the fact that adsorption on the walls may lead to significant changes both at high and low frequencies. Conversely, our results illustrate the possibility to obtain information on diffusion between walls, charge relaxation, and adsorption by analyzing the frequency-dependent conductivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thê Hoang Ngoc Minh
- CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Benjamin Rotenberg
- CNRS, Physicochimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France
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11
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Pireddu G, Rotenberg B. Frequency-Dependent Impedance of Nanocapacitors from Electrode Charge Fluctuations as a Probe of Electrolyte Dynamics. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:098001. [PMID: 36930930 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.098001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The frequency-dependent impedance is a fundamental property of electrical components. We show that it can be determined from the equilibrium dynamical fluctuations of the electrode charge in constant-potential molecular simulations, extending in particular a fluctuation-dissipation relation for the capacitance recovered in the low-frequency limit and provide an illustration on water-gold nanocapacitors. This Letter opens the way to the interpretation of electrochemical impedance measurements in terms of microscopic mechanisms, directly from the dynamics of the electrolyte, or indirectly via equivalent circuit models as in experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Pireddu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Rotenberg
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France
- Réseau sur le Stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), FR CNRS 3459, 80039 Amiens Cedex, France
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12
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Kumar S, Cats P, Alotaibi MB, Ayirala SC, Yousef AA, van Roij R, Siretanu I, Mugele F. Absence of anomalous underscreening in highly concentrated aqueous electrolytes confined between smooth silica surfaces. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 622:819-827. [PMID: 35561602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent surface forces apparatus experiments that measured the forces between two mica surfaces and a series of subsequent theoretical studies suggest the occurrence of universal underscreening in highly concentrated electrolyte solutions. We performed a set of systematic Atomic Force Spectroscopy measurements for aqueous salt solutions in a concentration range from 1 mM to 5 M using chloride salts of various alkali metals as well as mixed concentrated salt solutions (involving both mono- and divalent cations and anions), that mimic concentrated brines typically encountered in geological formations. Experiments were carried out using flat substrates and submicrometer-sized colloidal probes made of smooth oxidized silicon immersed in salt solutions at pH values of 6 and 9 and temperatures of 25 °C and 45 °C. While strong repulsive forces were observed for the smallest tip-sample separations, none of the conditions explored displayed any indication of anomalous long range electrostatic forces as reported for mica surfaces. Instead, forces are universally dominated by attractive van der Waals interactions at tip-sample separations of ≈2 nm and beyond for salt concentrations of 1 M and higher. Complementary calculations based on classical density functional theory for the primitive model support these experimental observations and display a consistent decrease in screening length with increasing ion concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saravana Kumar
- Physics of Complex Fluids Group and MESA+ Institute, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Cats
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Center for Extreme Matter and Emergent Phenomena, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mohammed B Alotaibi
- The Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Center - Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC), Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 34465, Saudi Arabia
| | - Subhash C Ayirala
- The Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Center - Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC), Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 34465, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali A Yousef
- The Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Center - Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC), Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 34465, Saudi Arabia
| | - René van Roij
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Center for Extreme Matter and Emergent Phenomena, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Igor Siretanu
- Physics of Complex Fluids Group and MESA+ Institute, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Frieder Mugele
- Physics of Complex Fluids Group and MESA+ Institute, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
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13
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Enhanced oil recovery by sacrificing polyelectrolyte to reduce surfactant adsorption: a classical density functional theory study. Chem Eng Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2022.117957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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14
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Jeanmairet G, Rotenberg B, Salanne M. Microscopic Simulations of Electrochemical Double-Layer Capacitors. Chem Rev 2022; 122:10860-10898. [PMID: 35389636 PMCID: PMC9227719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
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Electrochemical double-layer
capacitors (EDLCs) are devices allowing
the storage or production of electricity. They function through the
adsorption of ions from an electrolyte on high-surface-area electrodes
and are characterized by short charging/discharging times and long
cycle-life compared to batteries. Microscopic simulations are now
widely used to characterize the structural, dynamical, and adsorption
properties of these devices, complementing electrochemical experiments
and in situ spectroscopic analyses. In this review,
we discuss the main families of simulation methods that have been
developed and their application to the main family of EDLCs, which
include nanoporous carbon electrodes. We focus on the adsorption of
organic ions for electricity storage applications as well as aqueous
systems in the context of blue energy harvesting and desalination.
We finally provide perspectives for further improvement of the predictive
power of simulations, in particular for future devices with complex
electrode compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Jeanmairet
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France.,Réseau sur le Stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), FR CNRS 3459, 80039 Amiens, France
| | - Benjamin Rotenberg
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Electrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France.,Réseau sur le Stockage Électrochimique de l'Énergie (RS2E), FR CNRS 3459, 80039 Amiens, France
| | - Mathieu Salanne
- Réseau sur le Stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), FR CNRS 3459, 80039 Amiens, France.,Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Electrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
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15
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16
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Pireddu G, Scalfi L, Rotenberg B. A molecular perspective on induced charges on a metallic surface. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:204705. [PMID: 34852473 DOI: 10.1063/5.0076127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the response of the surface of metallic solids to external electric field sources is crucial to characterize electrode-electrolyte interfaces. Continuum electrostatics offer a simple description of the induced charge density at the electrode surface. However, such a simple description does not take into account features related to the atomic structure of the solid and to the molecular nature of the solvent and of the dissolved ions. In order to illustrate such effects and assess the ability of continuum electrostatics to describe the induced charge distribution, we investigate the behavior of a gold electrode interacting with sodium or chloride ions fixed at various positions, in a vacuum or in water, using all-atom constant-potential classical molecular dynamics simulations. Our analysis highlights important similarities between the two approaches, especially under vacuum conditions and when the ion is sufficiently far from the surface, as well as some limitations of the continuum description, namely, neglecting the charges induced by the adsorbed solvent molecules and the screening effect of the solvent when the ion is close to the surface. While the detailed features of the charge distribution are system-specific, we expect some of our generic conclusions on the induced charge density to hold for other ions, solvents, and electrode surfaces. Beyond this particular case, the present study also illustrates the relevance of such molecular simulations to serve as a reference for the design of improved implicit solvent models of electrode-electrolyte interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Pireddu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Laura Scalfi
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Rotenberg
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Physico-chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, PHENIX, F-75005 Paris, France
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17
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Cats P, van Roij R. The differential capacitance as a probe for the electric double layer structure and the electrolyte bulk composition. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:104702. [PMID: 34525830 DOI: 10.1063/5.0064315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, we theoretically study the differential capacitance of an aqueous electrolyte in contact with a planar electrode, using classical density functional theory, and show how this measurable quantity can be used as a probe to better understand the structure and composition of the electric double layer at play. Specifically, we show how small trace amounts of divalent ions can influence the differential capacitance greatly and also how small ions dominate its behavior for high electrode potentials. In this study, we consider primitive model electrolytes and not only use the standard definition of the differential capacitance but also derive a new expression from mechanical equilibrium in a planar geometry. This expression reveals explicitly that the first layer of ions near the charged surface is key to its understanding. Our insights might be used as a guide in experiments to better understand the electrolyte-electrode interface as well as the (composition of the) bulk electrolyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Cats
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Center for Extreme Matter and Emergent Phenomena, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, Utrecht 3584 CC, The Netherlands
| | - René van Roij
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Center for Extreme Matter and Emergent Phenomena, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, Utrecht 3584 CC, The Netherlands
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