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He C, Luo Y, Doddipatla S, Yang Z, Millar TJ, Sun R, Kaiser RI. Gas-phase formation of silicon monoxide via non-adiabatic reaction dynamics and its role as a building block of interstellar silicates. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:19761-19772. [PMID: 35971984 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02188a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Silicon monoxide (SiO) is classified as a key precursor and fundamental molecular building block to interstellar silicate nanoparticles, which play an essential role in the synthesis of molecular building blocks connected to the Origins of Life. In the cold interstellar medium, silicon monoxide is of critical importance in initiating a series of elementary chemical reactions leading to larger silicon oxides and eventually to silicates. To date, the fundamental formation mechanisms and chemical dynamics leading to gas phase silicon monoxide have remained largely elusive. Here, through a concerted effort between crossed molecular beam experiments and electronic structure calculations, it is revealed that instead of forming highly-stable silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon monoxide can be formed via a barrierless, exoergic, single-collision event between ground state molecular oxygen and atomic silicon involving non-adiabatic reaction dynamics through various intersystem crossings. Our research affords persuasive evidence for a likely source of highly rovibrationally excited silicon monoxide in cold molecular clouds thus initiating the complex chain of exoergic reactions leading ultimately to a population of silicates at low temperatures in our Galaxy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao He
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Yuheng Luo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Srinivas Doddipatla
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Zhenghai Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Tom J Millar
- School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Rui Sun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Ralf I Kaiser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
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2
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Bae G. Density Functional Theory Calculations of Geometrical and Electronic Properties of Neutral and Charged Silicon Oxide Clusters. B KOREAN CHEM SOC 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/bkcs.11818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gyun‐Tack Bae
- Department of Chemistry EducationChungbuk National University Cheongju 28644 South Korea
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3
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Bromley ST, Gómez Martín JC, Plane JMC. Under what conditions does (SiO) N nucleation occur? A bottom-up kinetic modelling evaluation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 18:26913-26922. [PMID: 27722645 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp03629e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Silicon monoxide (SiO) is a structurally complex compound exhibiting differentiated oxide-rich and silicon-rich nano-phases at length scales covering nanoclusters to the bulk. Although nano-sized and nano-segregated SiO has great technological potential (e.g. nano-silicon for optical applications) and is of enormous astronomical interest (e.g. formation of silicate cosmic dust) an accurate general description of SiO nucleation is lacking. Avoiding the deficiencies of a bulk-averaged approach typified by classical nucleation theory (CNT) we employ a bottom-up kinetic model which fully takes into account the atomistic details involved in segregation. Specifically, we derive a new low energy benchmark set of segregated (SiO)N cluster ground state candidates for N ≤ 20 and use the accurately calculated properties of these isomers to calculate SiO nucleation rates. We thus provide a state-of-the art evaluation of the range of pressure and temperature conditions for which formation of SiO will or will not proceed. Our results, which match with available experiment, reveal significant deficiencies with CNT approaches. We employ our model to shed light on controversial issue of circumstellar silicate dust formation showing that, at variance with the predictions from CNT-based calculations, pure SiO nucleation under such conditions is not viable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan T Bromley
- Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física & Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain. and Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - John M C Plane
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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4
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Huang L, Lambrakos SG, Massa L. Stable structures and absorption spectra for SixOy molecular clusters using density functional theory. Struct Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11224-017-0979-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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5
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Sen K, Ghosh D, Pakhira S, Banu T, Das AK. Structure, stability, and dissociation of small ionic silicon oxide clusters [SiO(n)+ (n = 3, 4)]: insight from density functional and topological exploration. J Chem Phys 2013; 139:234303. [PMID: 24359363 DOI: 10.1063/1.4840455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The structures, energies, isomerization, and decomposition pathways of small ionic silicon oxide clusters, SiO(n)(+) (n = 3, 4), on doublet and quartet energy surfaces are investigated by density functional theory. New structural isomers of these ionic clusters have been obtained with this systematic study. The energy ordering of the isomeric cluster ions on doublet spin surface is found to follow the same general trend as that of the neutral ones, while it differs on the quartet surface. Our computational results reveal the energetically most preferred decomposition pathways of the ionic clusters on both spin surfaces. To comprehend the reaction mechanism, bonding evolution theory has also been employed using atoms in molecules formalism. The possible reasons behind the structural deformation of some isomers on quartet surface have also been addressed. Our results are expected to provide important insight into the decomposition mechanism and relative stability of the SiO(n)(+) clusters on both the energy surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushik Sen
- Department of Spectroscopy, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Deepanwita Ghosh
- Department of Spectroscopy, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Srimanta Pakhira
- Department of Spectroscopy, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Tahamida Banu
- Department of Spectroscopy, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Abhijit K Das
- Department of Spectroscopy, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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Catlow CRA, Bromley ST, Hamad S, Mora-Fonz M, Sokol AA, Woodley SM. Modelling nano-clusters and nucleation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2009; 12:786-811. [PMID: 20066364 DOI: 10.1039/b916069h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
We review the growing role of computational techniques in modelling the structures and properties of nano-particulate oxides and sulphides. We describe the main methods employed, including those based on both electronic structure and interatomic potential approaches. Particular attention is paid to the techniques used in searching for global minima in the energy landscape defined by the nano-particle cluster. We summarise applications to the widely studied ZnO and ZnS systems, to silica nanochemistry and to group IV oxides including TiO(2). We also consider the special case of silica cluster chemistry in solution and its importance in understanding the hydrothermal synthesis of microporous materials. The work summarised, together with related experimental studies, demonstrates a rich and varied nano-cluster chemistry for these materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Richard A Catlow
- University College London, Department of Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, 3rd Floor, Kathleen Lonsdale Building, Gower Street, London, UKWC1E 6BT
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7
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Muralidharan K, Cao C, Wan YX, Runge K, Cheng HP. Environment dependent dynamic charge potential for silica: Application to nanoscale silica structures. Chem Phys Lett 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2007.01.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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8
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Zhang RQ, Fan WJ. Structures and Properties of Silicon Oxide Clusters by Theoretical Investigations. J CLUST SCI 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/s10876-006-0087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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9
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Pimentel AS, Lima FDCA, da Silva ABF. Rate Coefficient for the Reaction SiO + Si2O2 at T = 10−1000 K. J Phys Chem A 2006; 110:13221-6. [PMID: 17149837 DOI: 10.1021/jp065462z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The reaction paths for the formation of Si3O3 molecules have been investigated at high level ab initio quantum chemical calculations by using the QCISD method with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The cis-Si2O2 isomer does not participate in the chemical mechanism for the formation of Si3O3 molecules. Although the SiO + cis-Si2O2 reaction is exothermic and spontaneous, it is not expected to explain the growth mechanism of Si3O3 in the interstellar silicate grains of circumstellar envelopes surrounding M-type giants. The reaction of SiO with cyclic Si2O2 molecules is exothermic, is spontaneous, and has a nonplanar transition state. The Gibbs free energy for the transition state formation, (DeltaG0#), is around 5.5 kcal mol-1 at 298 K. The bimolecular rate coefficient for this reaction, kT, is about 1 x 10-12 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 298 K and in the collision limit, 1.5 x 10-10 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, at 500 K. The activation energy, Ea, is about 8 kcal mol-1. The enthalpy of Si3O3 fragmentation is 53.9 kcal mol-1 at 298 K. The SiO + cyclic Si2O2 reaction is expected to be the most prominent reaction path for the Si3O3 formation in interstellar environment and fabrication of silicon nanowires.
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Affiliation(s)
- André S Pimentel
- Departamento de Química e Física Molecular, Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400 Caixa Postal 780, São Carlos, SP 13560-970 Brazil.
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Zhang D, Wu J, Zhang RQ, Liu C. A Family of Stable Silica Fullerenes with Fully Coordinated Structures. J Phys Chem B 2006; 110:17757-62. [PMID: 16956259 DOI: 10.1021/jp060204n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Theoretical electronic structure techniques have become an indispensable and powerful tool for predicting molecular properties and designing new materials. The discovery of C(60) opened a challenging field in nanoscale materials science, and since then people have been looking for its inorganic analogues. On the basis of the B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations, here we provide theoretical evidence for a family of stable silica fullerenes with fully coordinated structures, which exhibit highly structural and energetic stabilities, very large energy gaps, and extremely good resistibilities to breakdown of the insulating capability in an applied electric field. Our calculations indicate that the discrete silica fullerenes are a possible polymorph of silica and can be synthesized under some conditions. They are expected to find novel applications in silica-based molecular devices. The present results may provide an aid in the experimental design for controllably producing desired silica clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongju Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China.
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11
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Zang QJ, Su ZM, Lu WC, Wang CZ, Ho KM. Oxidation Pattern of Small Silicon Oxide Clusters: Structures and Stability of Si6On (n = 1−12). J Phys Chem A 2006; 110:8151-7. [PMID: 16805502 DOI: 10.1021/jp061517l] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We have performed systematic ab initio calculations to study the structures and stability of Si(6)O(n)() clusters (n = 1-12) in order to understand the oxidation process in silicon systems. Our calculation results show that oxidation pattern of the small silicon cluster, with continuous addition of O atoms, extends from one side to the entire Si cluster. Si atoms are found to be separated from the pure Si cluster one-by-one by insertion of oxygen into the Si-O bonds. From fragmentation energy analyses, it is found that the Si-rich clusters usually dissociate into a smaller pure Si clusters (Si(5), Si(4), Si(3), or Si(2)), plus oxide fragments such as SiO, Si(2)O(2), Si(3)O(3), Si(3)O(4), and Si(4)O(5). We have also studied the structures of the ionic Si(6)O(n)(+/-) (n = 1-12) clusters and found that most of ionic clusters have different lowest-energy structures in comparison with the neutral clusters. Our calculation results suggest that transformation Si(6)O(n)+(a) + O --> Si(6)O(n+1)+(a) should be easier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q J Zang
- Institute of Functional Material Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, P. R. China
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12
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Zhang D, Zhang RQ, Han Z, Liu C. A Synthetic Route toward Well-Defined Stoichiometric Silica Fullerene and Nanotubes Based on Metastable Four-Membered Rings. J Phys Chem B 2006; 110:8992-7. [PMID: 16671706 DOI: 10.1021/jp056548f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
On the basis of computational considerations, using metastable four-membered rings as building blocks, we propose novel synthetic routes toward well-defined stoichiometric silica nanofullerenes and nanotubes. The viability of the routes has been demonstrated by performing high-level density functional calculations, and the so-formed nanoarchitectures were proved to be energetically and structurally stable. Such nanostructures, if synthesized, are expected to have potential application in nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongju Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China.
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13
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Linnolahti M, Kinnunen NM, Pakkanen TA. Structural Preferences of Single-Walled Silica Nanostructures: Nanospheres and Chemically Stable Nanotubes. Chemistry 2006; 12:218-24. [PMID: 16250062 DOI: 10.1002/chem.200500714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Structural preferences of single-walled and coordinatively saturated spherical and tubular nanostructures of silica have been determined by ab initio calculations. Two families of spherical (SiO2)n clusters derived from Platonic solids and Archimedean polyhedra are depicted, with n ranging from 4-120. The analogue of a truncated icosidodecahedron, Ih-symmetric Si120O240, is favored in energy, closely followed by the Ih-symmetric Si60O120-truncated icosahedron. The silica nanotubes derived from spherical clusters are capped by Si2O2 rings, whereas the tubular section consists of single oxygen bridges. Periodic studies performed with open-ended silica nanotubes and the alpha-quartz polymorph of silica, along with a comparisons to fullerenes and carbon nanotubes, suggest that tubes with diameters of approximately 1 nm should be chemically stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikko Linnolahti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland.
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14
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Zhang D, Zhang RQ. Structural Model of Silica Nanowire Assembled from a Highly Stable (SiO2)8 Unit. J Phys Chem B 2005; 110:1338-43. [PMID: 16471683 DOI: 10.1021/jp052643c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The ground-state structures of silica clusters (SiO2)n for n = 1-8 were studied by performing calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level of density functional theory. The results indicate that the growth mode of a silica nanowire based on small silica clusters may change at different wire lengths. A linear chain might be assembled from the smallest clusters of rhombic two-membered ring (2MR) with n < or = 5, while the growth motif changes at n = 6 into a more compact form composed of three-membered-rings (3MRs). The 3MR-containing structures become energetically favorable configurations for even longer silica clusters. In particular, the closed molecular ring consisting of 3MRs at n = 8 (i.e., (SiO2)8) with a high symmetry shows extreme energetic stability and relatively high chemical reactivity and thus is considered to be an important building block to assemble into silica nanowires. The relative stability of so-assembled silica nanowires were evaluated and compared with the models of silica nanowires in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongju Zhang
- Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF) and Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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15
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Zhang D, Zhao M, Zhang RQ. Two- and Three-Membered-Ring Hybrid Structures of Silica Nanoclusters. J Phys Chem B 2004. [DOI: 10.1021/jp0469620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dongju Zhang
- Department of Physics and Materials Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mingwen Zhao
- Department of Physics and Materials Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - R. Q. Zhang
- Department of Physics and Materials Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Flikkema E, Bromley ST. Dedicated Global Optimization Search for Ground State Silica Nanoclusters: (SiO2)N (N = 6−12). J Phys Chem B 2004. [DOI: 10.1021/jp049783r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Flikkema
- Ceramic Membrane Centre “The Pore”, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands
| | - S. T. Bromley
- Ceramic Membrane Centre “The Pore”, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands
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