On the Potential of Using the Al7 Superatom as an Excess Electron Acceptor To Construct Materials with Excellent Nonlinear Optical Properties

Plasma-Assisted Dinitrogen Activation on Small Cobalt Clusters: Co4 N9 + with Enhanced Stability

We have performed a study on the accommodation of nitrogen doping toward superatomic states of transition metal clusters. By reacting cobalt clusters with N₂ in the presence of plasma radiation, a large number of odd-nitrogen clusters were observed, typically Co₃ N_2m-1 ⁺ (m=1-5) and Co₄ N_2m-1 ⁺ (m=1-6) series, showing N≡N bond cleavage in the mild plasma atmosphere. Interestingly, the Co₃ N₇ ⁺ , Co₄ N₉ ⁺ , and Co₅ N₉ ⁺ clusters exhibit prominent mass abundances. First-principles calculation results elucidate the stability of the diverse cobalt nitride clusters and find unique stability of Co₄ N₉ ⁺ with a swallow-kite structure of which four coordinated N₂ molecules causes a significantly enlarged HOMO-LUMO gap, while the single N atom doping gives rise to superatomic states of 1S² 1P³ ||1D⁰ . We reveal an efficient dinitrogen activation strategy by reacting multiple N₂ molecules with cobalt clusters under a plasma atmosphere.

Superalkali-doped borazine and lithiated borazine complexes: diffuse excess electron and large first-hyperpolarizability

A number of superalkali (M₃O / M₃S; M = Li, Na, K)-doped borazine and hexalithio borazine complexes are considered for the theoretical study of their electronic structure and quadratic polarizability. Electron-rich O/S atom of superalkali species remains very close to one boron atom of the ring through non-covalent interaction. The first-hyperpolarizability increases rather significantly upon superalkali doping. The chosen complexes possess diffuse excess electron which is located on the superpalkali moiety of borazine complexes and at the ring site of lithiated borazines. First-hyperpolarizability of M₃O(S)@B₃N₃Li₆ complexes are significantly larger than that of the corresponding M₃O(S)@B₃N₃H₆ complexes. The magnitude of first-hyperpolarizability of Li₃S@B₃N₃Li₆ is larger than that of Li₃S@B₃N₃H₆ by about three orders of magnitude.

Designing a new class of excess electron compounds with unique electronic structures and extremely large non-linear optical responses

New Ca⁺-1-M′⁻ (M′ = Li, Na, and K) compounds with typical alkalide features and electride-like characteristics have been obtained.

Computational screening of carbon monoxide (CO) adsorption over neutral and charged Al7 clusters

A density functional theory study on the structures and chemical bonding of charged (Al7 + and Al7 -) and neutral Al7 clusters is presented. A distorted octahedral structure with an aluminum atom decorating one of the aluminum faces of the octahedron is predicted for these clusters. The AdNDP analysis reveals double (σ- and π-) aromatic and antiaromatic characteristics of Al7 + and Al7 - clusters, respectively. The UV-Vis Spectra of these clusters are also investigated using TD-DFT method. The molecular adsorption of carbon monoxide on the mentioned clusters is also explored. It is found that, the binding of CO through its carbon atom on considered clusters is a physical adsorption and Al7 - cluster shows the most tendency for the CO adsorption. The NBO analysis and density of states spectra confirm the weak interaction between carbon atom of CO and the aluminum atom of these clusters.

Network Formation by Condensed Tetrahedral [Au3Al] Units in Na2Au3Al: Crystal and Electronic Structure, Spectroscopic Investigations, and Physical Properties of an Ordered Ternary Auride

Na₂Au₃Al, the first experimentally prepared compound in the ternary Na-Au-Al system, crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with space group P4₁32 (a = 771.42(2) pm). It can be described as a P-centered ternary ordered variant of the F-centered Laves phase MgCu₂ and is isostructural to Mo₃Al₂C. A phase width was found for the series Na₂Au_4-xAl_x allowing a successive substitution of Au by Al. The primitive structure forms for x ≥ 0.5. Na₂Au₃Al is diamagnetic at room temperature but metallic in nature, as seen from susceptibility and electrical resistivity measurements. Band structure calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm the metallic nature of the title compound as states are found at the Fermi level of the DOS, along with its "auride" character. ²³Na and ²⁷Al solid-state-NMR investigations show the existence of both a disordered (x = 0.5 and 0.75) and a fully ordered (x = 1.0) representative within this series. Both COHP and Bader charge analyses suggest the presence of strong Au-Al interactions forming an anionic [Au₃Al]^δ- network, with the Na cations occupying the cavities.

Remarkable nonlinear optical response of excess electron compounds: theoretically designed alkali-doped aziridine M–(C2NH5)n

Newly theoretically designed alkali-doped aziridine M–(C₂NH₅)₄ shows a remarkable NLO response and its first hyperpolarizability is 10 to 100 times larger than those of M@Calix[4]pyrrole.

Probing the low-energy structures of aluminum–magnesium alloy clusters: a detailed study

The effect of Mg doping on the growth behavior and the electronic properties of aluminum clusters has been investigated theoretically using the CALYPSO (Crystal structure AnaLYsis by Particle Swarm Optimization) method in combination with density functional theory calculations.