Application of pristine and Ni-decorated B 12 P 12 nano-clusters as superior media for acetylene and ethylene adsorption: DFT calculations

Mechanical quantum analysis on the role of transition metals on the delivery of metformin anticancer drug by the boron phosphide nanotube

We scrutinized the impact of doping of X atoms (X = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) on the metformin (MF) drug delivery performance of a BP nanotube (BPNT) using density functional B3LYP calculations. The pristine BPNT was not ideal for the drug delivery of MF because of a weak interaction between the drug and nanotube. Doping of the Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, and Fe into the BPNT surface raised the adsorption energy of MF from -5.3 to -29.1, -28.7, -29.8, -32.1, and -26.9 kcal/mol, respectively, demonstrating that the sensitiveness of the metal-doped BPNT increased after increasing the radius atomic of metals. Ultimately, there was an increase in the adhesion performance and capacity of the MF after X (especially Co atom) doping, making the nanotube suitable for MF drug delivery. The mechanism of MF reaction with the BPNT changed from covalent bonding in the natural environment to hydrogen bonding in the cancerous cells with high acidity.

A DFT and QTAIM insight into ethylene oxide adsorption on the surfaces of pure and metal-decorated inorganic fullerene-like nanoclusters

In this industrial era, the use of low-dimensional nanomaterials as gas sensors for environmental monitoring has received enormous interest. To develop an effective sensing method for ethylene oxide (EO), DFT computations are conducted using method ωB97X-D and B3LYP with 6-31G(d,p) basis set to evaluate the adsorption behavior of ethylene oxide gas on the surfaces of pristine, as well as Scandium and Titanium decorated B12N12, Al12N12, and Al12P12 nanocages. Several properties like structural, physical, and electronic are studied methodically to better understand the sensing behavior. Scandium-decorated aluminum phosphate and boron nitride nanocages were shown to perform better in terms of adsorption properties. The short recovery time observed in this study is beneficial for the repetitive use of the gas sensor. The Natural Bond Orbital and molecular electrostatic potential analysis demonstrated a substantial quantity of charge transfer from adsorbate to adsorbents. The bandgap alternation after adsorption shows an influence of adsorption on electronic properties. The interactions of adsorbate and adsorbents are further studied using the ultraviolet-visible predicted spectrum, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules all of which yielded promising findings.

A model of FeN-decorated BeO layer particle for CO gas adsorption

Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as a deathful gas produced by burning of hydrocarbons in a lack of enough oxygen, in which breathing CO leads to serious issues on human life health quality. Therefore, adsorption of CO gas is an essential task for diagnosis or removal of this dreadful gas in environment. To do this, a HEME-like model of iron-nitrogen-doped beryllium oxide (FeNBeO) monolayer was investigated for adsorbing CO gas by performing density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Two models were obtained for this process, in which relaxation of CO with C-head or O-head towards Fe region of monolayer. The results indicated that the formation of FeNBeO-CO model could be achieved more favorable than the formation of FeNBeO-OC model. The obtained optimized geometers and energies all approved this achievement for favorability of FeNBeO-CO model formation. Moreover, molecular orbital based electronic features indicated variations of such features for the models upon adsorption of CO substance, in which the models could be detectable in a sensor function for the existence of CO gas in the environment. As a consequence, the investigated FeNBeO monolayer could be proposed useful for adsorption of CO gas at least for the CO deathful gas diagnosis purposes.

Density functional theory investigation of ozone gas uptake by a BeO nanoflake

Due to importance of the gas uptake topic in environment and energy issues, this work was performed for investigating ozone (Oz) gas uptake by means of a beryllium oxide (BeO) nanoflake. To this aim, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis were performed. The monolayer BeO nanoflake was decorated by a HEME-like N4Fe region to prepare an interacting region towards the Oz uptake. Accordingly, three models were optimized based on configurations of Oz molecule relaxation at the BeO surface, in which two types of O ... Fe and O ... N interactions were observed. In this case, Oz3@BeO model was involved with two mentioned types of interactions and three occurred interaction between Oz and BeO making it as the strongest bimolecular formation model of Oz@BeO. Moreover, electronic molecular orbital features indicated that the models formations could be also related to sensor functions by variations of electric conductivity because of Oz gas uptake. As a consequence, the investigated BeO nanoflake of this work was proposed for employing in Oz gas uptake for different purposes.

Twisted bilayer arsenene sheets as a chemical sensor for toluene and M-xylene vapours - A DFT investigation

2D (two-dimensional) materials are emerging in today's world. Among the 2D materials, arsenene sheets are prominently used as chemical and biosensors. In the present work, the twisted bilayer arsenene sheets (TB-AsNS) are used to adsorb toluene and M-xylene vapours. Moreover, the band gap of pristine TB-AsNS is calculated to be 0.437 eV. Besides, the surface adsorption of toluene and M-xylene vapours modify the electronic properties of TB-AsNS noticed from the band structure, density of states, and electron density difference diagrams. The surface assimilation of target toluene and M-xylene on TB-AsNS falls in the physisorption regime facilitating the adsorption and desorption of molecules. Also, the charge transfer analysis infers that TB-AsNS acts as acceptor and target molecules play as donors. The findings support that TB-AsNS can be used as a sensing medium towards M-xylene and toluene.

Zipper phosphorene as sensing element towards formaldehyde and acetaldehyde - A first-principles insight

We ascertained the structural stability of zipper phosphorene nanosheet (zP-NS) and studied the adsorption behaviour of toxic aldehyde compounds including formaldehyde (FD) and acetaldehyde (AD) on zP-NS based on first-principles calculation. Considerably, zP-NS reveal a semiconducting character with band gap of 1.35 eV. Especially, four distinct favourable adsorption positions including bridge-, hollow-, top- and valley-site of FD and AD vapours on zP-NS were investigated. Furthermore, the calculated binding-energy of prominent adsorption sites are observed to be in the scope of -0.143 eV to -0.411 eV advocating physisorption nature of the interaction of chief aldehydes on zP-NS. The overall outcomes recommend that zP-NS can be persuasively utilised as a chemical sensor for monitoring FD and AD molecules in indoor air environment.

Prediction of unexpected B n P n structures: promising materials for non-linear optical devices and photocatalytic activities

In the present work, a modern method of crystal structure prediction, namely USPEX conjugated with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, was used to predict the new stable structures of B _n P _n (n = 12, 24) clusters. Since B₁₂N₁₂ and B₂₄N₂₄ fullerenes have been synthesized experimentally, it motivated us to explore the structural prediction of B₁₂P₁₂ and B₂₄P₂₄ clusters. All new structures were predicted to be energetically favorable with negative binding energy in the range from -4.7 to -4.8 eV per atom, suggesting good experimental feasibility for the synthesis of these structures. Our search for the most stable structure of B _n P _n clusters led us to classify the predicted structures into two completely distinct structures such as α-B _n P _n and β-B _n P _n phases. In α-B _n P _n , each phosphorus atom is doped into a boron atom, whereas B atoms form a B _n unit. On the other hand, each boron atom in the β-phase was bonded to a phosphorus atom to make a fullerene-like cage structure. Besides, theoretical simulations determined that α-B _n P _n structures, especially α-B₂₄P₂₄, show superior oxidation resistance and also, both α-B _n P _n and β-B _n P _n exhibit better thermal stability; the upper limit temperature that structures can tolerance is 900 K. The electronic properties of new compounds illustrate a higher degree of absorption in the UV and visible-region with the absorption coefficient larger than 10⁵ cm^-1, which suggests a wide range of opportunities for advanced optoelectronic applications. The β-B _n P _n phase has suitable band alignments in the visible-light excitation region, which will produce enhanced photocatalytic activities. On the other hand, α-B _n P _n structures with modest band gap exhibit large second hyperpolarizability, which are anticipated to have excellent potential as second-order non-linear optical (NLO) materials.

Zinc-Doped Boron Phosphide Nanocluster as Efficient Sensor for SO2

Adsorption of SO2 on pure B12P12 and Zn-doped B12P12 is investigated through density functional theory methods. Zn adsorption on BP delivers four optimized geometries: B-Top, P-top, b64, and ring-enlarged geometry with adsorption energies of −57.12 kJ/mol, −14.50 kJ/mol, −22.94 kJ/mol, and −14.83 kJ/mol, respectively. The adsorption energy of SO2 on pristine boron phosphide is −14.92 kJ/mol. Interaction of SO2 with Zn-doped boron phosphide gives four different geometries with adsorption energies of −69.76 kJ/mol, −9.82 kJ/mol, −104.92 kJ/mol, and −41.87 kJ/mol. Geometric parameters such as dipole moment, QNBO, frontier molecular orbital analysis, PDOS, and global indices of reactivity are performed to visualize the changes in electronic properties of B12P12 after Zn and SO2 adsorption.

Comparison of X12Y12 (X=Al, B and Y=N, P) fullerene-like nanoclusters toward adsorption of dimethyl ether

Density functional theory (DFT) was used for studying the adsorption of dimethyl ether (DME) onto four nanoclusters: [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], B and [Formula: see text], P). The interaction energy along with the adsorption energy was investigated, and it was found that DME molecule has higher binding energies upon adsorption on Al-containing clusters, but on the other hand, it results in higher alteration in the electronic structure of B-containing cluster. Outcomes of charge analysis and frontier molecular orbital confirm higher alteration in the electronic structure of the later clusters, suggesting the possible potential of B[Formula: see text]N[Formula: see text] and B[Formula: see text]P[Formula: see text] as two sensitive sensors for DME. Nevertheless, Al-containing clusters showed much better adsorbent property, judging from their higher adsorption energies. The positive values of charge transfer upon DME adsorption confirm the p-type semiconducting property of all these clusters.

High ozone chemisorption by using metal–cluster complexes: a DFT study on the nickel-decorated B12P12 nanoclusters

In the present study, by using first-principle study within the density functional theory (DFT), we investigated the ozone (O3) chemisorption on the surface of pristine and nickel-decorated B12P12 nanoclusters. The important emphasis of this study is to follow changes in the electronic structures of the aforementioned nanoclusters upon adsorption of the O3 molecule. Although we found strong chemisorption of O3 on a pristine nanocluster (–282.7 kJ/mol), significant increases in adsorption were found by modifying the nanocluster’s surface. Firstly, we found there are three possible sites on the surface of the nanocluster for nickel (Ni) decoration. For each Ni-decorated nanocluster, we searched its potential for adsorption of O3 by using quantum chemical calculations. Depending on the location of decorated Ni, we found considerable increased values of O3 adsorption energy (–340.8, –376.8, and –382.4 kJ/mol). We carried out calculations by taking into account the values of adsorption energy, bond distance, dipole moment study, charge analysis, frontier orbital analysis, and density of states of all relaxed systems.