1
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Leung K, Ilgen AG. Modeling separation of lanthanides via heterogeneous ligand binding. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024. [PMID: 39018152 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00880d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Individual lanthanide elements have physical/electronic/magnetic properties that make each useful for specific applications. Several of the lanthanides cations (Ln3+) naturally occur together in the same ores. They are notoriously difficult to separate from each other due to their chemical similarity. Predicting the Ln3+ differential binding energies (ΔΔE) or free energies (ΔΔG) at different binding sites, which are key figures of merit for separation applications, will help design of materials with lanthanide selectivity. We apply ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) to calculate ΔΔG for Ln3+ coordinated to ligands in water and embedded in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and ΔΔE for Ln3+ bonded to functionalized silica surfaces, thus circumventing the need for the computational costly absolute binding (free) energies ΔG and ΔE. Perturbative AIMD simulations of water-inundated simulation cells are applied to examine the selectivity of ligands towards adjacent Ln3+ in the periodic table. Static DFT calculations with a full Ln3+ first coordination shell, while less rigorous, show that all ligands examined with net negative charges are more selective towards the heavier lanthanides than a charge-neutral coordination shell made up of water molecules. Amine groups are predicted to be poor ligands for lanthanide-binding. We also address cooperative ion binding, i.e., using different ligands in concert to enhance lanthanide selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Leung
- Geochemistry Department, MS 0750, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.
| | - Anastasia G Ilgen
- Geochemistry Department, MS 0750, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.
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2
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Felsted RG, Graham TR, Zhao Y, Bazak JD, Nienhuis ET, Pauzauskie PJ, Joly AG, Pearce CI, Wang Z, Rosso KM. Anionic Effects on Concentrated Aqueous Lithium Ion Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2024:5076-5087. [PMID: 38708887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The dynamics, orientational anisotropy, diffusivity, viscosity, and density were measured for concentrated lithium salt solutions, including lithium chloride (LiCl), lithium bromide (LiBr), lithium nitrite (LiNO2), and lithium nitrate (LiNO3), with methyl thiocyanate as an infrared vibrational probe molecule, using two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy (2D IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and viscometry. The 2D IR, NMR, and viscosity results show that LiNO2 exhibits longer correlation times, lower diffusivity, and nearly 4 times greater viscosity compared to those of the other lithium salt solutions of the same concentration, suggesting that nitrite anions may strongly facilitate structure formation via strengthening water-ion network interactions, directly impacting bulk solution properties at sufficiently high concentrations. Additionally, the LiNO2 and LiNO3 solutions show significantly weakened chemical interactions between the lithium cations and the methyl thiocyanate when compared with those of the lithium halide salts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Felsted
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Trent R Graham
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Yatong Zhao
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - J David Bazak
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Emily T Nienhuis
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Peter J Pauzauskie
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Alan G Joly
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Carolyn I Pearce
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Zheming Wang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
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3
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Li S, Zhu J. Leaching kinetics of fluorine during the aluminum removal from spent Li-ion battery cathode materials. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 138:312-325. [PMID: 38135398 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The high content of aluminum (Al) impurity in the recycled cathode powder seriously affects the extraction efficiency of Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, and Lithium resources and the actual commercial value of recycled materials, so Al removal is crucially important to conform to the industrial standard of spent Li-ion battery cathode materials. In this work, we systematically investigated the leaching process and optimum conditions associated with Al removal from the cathode powder materials collected in a wet cathode-powder peeling and recycling production line of spent Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Moreover, we specifically studied the leaching of fluorine (F) synergistically happened along with the removal process of Al, which was not concerned about in other studies, but one of the key factors affecting pollution prevention in the recovery process. The mechanism of the whole process including the leaching of Al and F from the cathode powder was indicated by using NMR, FTIR, and XPS, and a defluoridation process was preliminarily investigated in this study. The leaching kinetics of Al could be successfully described by the shrinking core model, controlled by the diffusion process and the activation energy was 11.14 kJ/mol. While, the leaching of F was attributed to the dissolution of LiPF6 and decomposition of PVDF, and the kinetics associated was described by Avrami model. The interaction of Al and F is advantageous to realize the defluoridation to some degree. It is expected that our investigation will provide theoretical support for the large-scale recycling of spent LIBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjie Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianxin Zhu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Chen Z, Fan Q, Zhou J, Wang X, Huang M, Jiang H, Cölfen H. Toward Understanding the Formation Mechanism and OER Catalytic Mechanism of Hydroxides by In Situ and Operando Techniques. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023:e202309293. [PMID: 37650657 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202309293] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Developing efficient and affordable electrocatalysts for the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a significant barrier that needs to be overcome for the practical applications of hydrogen production via water electrolysis, transforming CO2 to value-added chemicals, and metal-air batteries. Recently, hydroxides have shown promise as electrocatalysts for OER. In situ or operando techniques are particularly indispensable for monitoring the key intermediates together with understanding the reaction process, which is extremely important for revealing the formation/OER catalytic mechanism of hydroxides and preparing cost-effective electrocatalysts for OER. However, there is a lack of comprehensive discussion on the current status and challenges of studying these mechanisms using in situ or operando techniques, which hinders our ability to identify and address the obstacles present in this field. This review offers an overview of in situ or operando techniques, outlining their capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages. Recent findings related to the formation mechanism and OER catalytic mechanism of hydroxides revealed by in situ or operando techniques are also discussed in detail. Additionally, some current challenges in this field are concluded and appropriate solution strategies are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongkun Chen
- University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Current address: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstraße 34-36, 45470, Mülheim an der, Ruhr, Germany
| | - Qiqi Fan
- University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jian Zhou
- University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Xingkun Wang
- Laboratory of Functional Membrane Material and Membrane Technology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, P. R. China
| | - Minghua Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, 266100, Qingdao, P. R. China
| | - Heqing Jiang
- Laboratory of Functional Membrane Material and Membrane Technology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, P. R. China
| | - Helmut Cölfen
- University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
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Graham TR, Pouvreau M, Gorniak R, Wang HW, Nienhuis ET, Miller QRS, Liu J, Prange MP, Schenter GK, Pearce CI, Rosso KM, Clark AE. Disordered interfaces of alkaline aluminate salt hydrates provide glimpses of Al 3+ coordination changes. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 637:326-339. [PMID: 36706728 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The precipitation and dissolution of aluminum-bearing mineral phases in aqueous systems often proceed via changes in both aluminum coordination number and connectivity, complicating molecular-scale interpretation of the transformation mechanism. Here, the thermally induced transformation of crystalline sodium aluminum salt hydrate, a phase comprised of monomeric octahedrally coordinated aluminate which is of relevance to industrial aluminum processing, has been studied. Because intermediate aluminum coordination states during melting have not previously been detected, it is hypothesized that the transition to lower coordinated aluminum ions occurs within ahighly disordered quasi-two-dimensional phase at the solid-solution interface. EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATIONS In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and27Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to monitor the melting transition of nonasodium aluminate hydrate (NSA, Na9[Al(OH)6]2·3(OH)·6H2O). A mechanistic interpretation was developed based on complementary classical molecular dynamics (CMD) simulations including enhanced sampling. A reactive forcefield was developed to bridge speciation in the solution and in the solid phase. FINDINGS In contrast to classical dissolution, aluminum coordination change proceeds through a dynamically stabilized ensemble of intermediate states in a disordered layer at the solid-solution interface. In both melting and dissolution of NSA, octahedral, monomeric aluminum transition through an intermediate of pentahedral coordination. The intermediate dehydroxylates to form tetrahedral aluminate (Al(OH)4-) in the liquid phase. This coordination change is concomitant with a breaking of the ionic aluminate-sodium ionlinkages. The solution phase Al(OH)4- ions subsequently polymerize into polynuclear aluminate ions. However, there are some differences between bulk melting and interfacial dissolution, with the onset of the surface-controlled process occurring at a lower temperature (∼30 °C) and the coordination change taking place more gradually as a function of temperature. This work to determine the local structure and dynamics of aluminum in the disordered layer provides a new basis to understand mechanisms controlling aluminum phase transformations in highly alkaline solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trent R Graham
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA.
| | - Maxime Pouvreau
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA; Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA.
| | - Rafal Gorniak
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA; Department of Physical Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, Poznań 61-614, Poland
| | - Hsiu-Wen Wang
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | | | - Quin R S Miller
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Micah P Prange
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | | | - Carolyn I Pearce
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Aurora E Clark
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA; Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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Nienhuis ET, Pouvreau M, Graham TR, Prange MP, Page K, Loring JS, Stack AG, Clark AE, Schenter GK, Rosso KM, Pearce CI, Wang HW. Structure and reactivity of sodium aluminate complexes in alkaline solutions. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.120379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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7
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Liu W, Pouvreau M, Stack AG, Yang X, Clark AE. Concentration dependent interfacial chemistry of the NaOH (aq): gibbsite interface. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:20998-21008. [PMID: 36000443 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01997c] [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
Caustic conditions are often employed for dissolution of a wide variety of minerals, where ion sorption, surface diffusion, and interfacial organization impact surface reactivity. In the case of gibbsite, γ-Al(OH)3, the chemistry at the NaOH(aq) interface is deeply intertwined with industrial processing of aluminum, including metal production and the disposition of Al-containing wastes. To date, little is known about the structure, speciation, and dynamic behavior of gibbsite interfaces (and that of many other minerals) with NaOH(aq)-particularly as a function of ionic strength. Yet concentration-dependent interfacial organization and dynamics are a critical starting point to develop a fundamental understanding of the factors that influence dissolution. This work reports equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of the γ-Al(OH)3:NaOH(aq) interface, revealing the sorption behavior and speciation of ions from 0.5-10 M [NaOH]. As inner-sphere complexes, Na+ primarily coordinates to the side of the gibbsite hexagonal cavities, while OH- accepts hydrogen-bonding from the surface-OH groups. The mobility of inner-sphere Na+ and OH- ions is significantly reduced due to a strong surface affinity in comparison to previous reports of NaCl, CaCl2, or BaCl2 electrolytes. At high [NaOH], contact ion pairing that is observed in the bulk solution is partially disrupted upon sorption to the gibbsite surface by the individual ion-surface interactions. The molecular-scale changes to surface speciation and competition between ion-surface vs. ion-ion interactions influence surface characterization of gibbsite and potential dissolution processes, providing a valuable baseline for starting conditions needed within future reactive molecular simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, P. R. China.
| | - Maxime Pouvreau
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA.
| | | | - Xiaoning Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, P. R. China.
| | - Aurora E Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA.
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8
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Ab initio molecular dynamics free energy study of enhanced copper (II) dimerization on mineral surfaces. Commun Chem 2022; 5:76. [PMID: 36697693 PMCID: PMC9814296 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-022-00688-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the adsorption of isolated metal cations from water on to mineral surfaces is critical for toxic waste retention and cleanup in the environment. Heterogeneous nucleation of metal oxyhydroxides and other minerals on material surfaces is key to crystal growth and dissolution. The link connecting these two areas, namely cation dimerization and polymerization, is far less understood. In this work we apply ab initio molecular dynamics calculations to examine the coordination structure of hydroxide-bridged Cu(II) dimers, and the free energy changes associated with Cu(II) dimerization on silica surfaces. The dimer dissociation pathway involves sequential breaking of two Cu2+-OH- bonds, yielding three local minima in the free energy profiles associated with 0-2 OH- bridges between the metal cations, and requires the design of a (to our knowledge) novel reaction coordinate for the simulations. Cu(II) adsorbed on silica surfaces are found to exhibit stronger tendency towards dimerization than when residing in water. Cluster-plus-implicit-solvent methods yield incorrect trends if OH- hydration is not correctly depicted. The predicted free energy landscapes are consistent with fast equilibrium times (seconds) among adsorbed structures, and favor Cu2+ dimer formation on silica surfaces over monomer adsorption.
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Graham TR, Hu JZ, Jaegers NR, Zhang X, Pearce CI, Rosso KM. An amorphous sodium aluminate hydrate phase mediates aluminum coordination changes in highly alkaline sodium hydroxide solutions. Inorg Chem Front 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2qi01642g] [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
A newly identified intermediate phase containing tetrahedral Al is formed incipient to the crystallization of sodium aluminate hydrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trent R. Graham
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Jian Zhi Hu
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
- The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | | | - Xin Zhang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Carolyn I. Pearce
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Kevin M. Rosso
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
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10
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Prange MP, Graham TR, Gorniak R, Pouvreau M, Dembowski M, Wang HW, Daemen LL, Schenter GK, Bowden ME, Nienhuis ET, Rosso KM, Clark AE, Pearce CI. Theory-Guided Inelastic Neutron Scattering of Crystalline Alkaline Aluminate Salts Bearing Principal Motifs of Solution-State Species. Inorg Chem 2021; 60:16223-16232. [PMID: 34644061 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Aluminate salts precipitated from caustic alkaline solutions exhibit a correlation between the anionic speciation and the identity of the alkali cation in the precipitate, with the aluminate ions occurring either in monomeric (Al(OH)4-) or dimeric (Al2O(OH)62-) forms. The origin of this correlation is poorly understood as are the roles that oligomeric aluminate species play in determining the solution structure, prenucleation clusters, and precipitation pathways. Characterization of aluminate solution speciation with vibrational spectroscopy results in spectra that are difficult to interpret because the ions access a diverse and dynamic configurational space. To investigate the Al(OH)4- and Al2O(OH)62- anions within a well-defined crystal lattice, inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and Raman spectroscopic data were collected and simulated by density functional theory for K2[Al2O(OH)6], Rb2[Al2O(OH)6], and Cs[Al(OH) 4]·2H2O. These structures capture archetypal solution aluminate species: the first two salts contain dimeric Al2O(OH)62- anions, while the third contains the monomeric Al(OH)4- anion. Comparisons were made to the INS and Raman spectra of sodium aluminate solutions frozen in a glassy state. In contrast to solution systems, the crystal lattice of the salts results in well-defined vibrations and associated resolved bands in the INS spectra. The use of a theory-guided analysis of the INS of this solid alkaline aluminate series revealed that differences were related to the nature of the hydrogen-bonding network and showed that INS is a sensitive probe of the degree of completeness and strength of the bond network in hydrogen-bonded materials. Results suggest that the ionic size may explain cation-specific differences in crystallization pathways in alkaline aluminate salts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah P Prange
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Trent R Graham
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Rafal Gorniak
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Maxime Pouvreau
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Mateusz Dembowski
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Hsiu-Wen Wang
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Luke L Daemen
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Gregory K Schenter
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Mark E Bowden
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Emily T Nienhuis
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Aurora E Clark
- Physical Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Carolyn I Pearce
- Environmental Subsystem Science Division, Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States.,Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
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11
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Mergelsberg ST, Dembowski M, Bowden ME, Graham TR, Prange M, Wang HW, Zhang X, Qafoku O, Rosso KM, Pearce CI. Cluster defects in gibbsite nanoplates grown at acidic to neutral pH. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:17373-17385. [PMID: 34713874 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr01615f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Gibbsite [α-Al(OH)3] is the solubility limiting phase for aluminum across a wide pH range, and it is a common mineral phase with many industrial applications. The growth mechanism of this layered-structure material, however, remains incompletely understood. Synthesis of gibbsite at low to circumneutral pH yields nanoplates with substantial interlayer disorder. Here we examine defects in this material in detail, and the effects of recrystallization in highly alkaline sodium hydroxide solution at 80 °C. We employed a multimodal approach, including scanning electron microscopy, magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR), Raman and infrared spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray total scattering pair distribution function (XPDF) analysis to characterize the ageing of the nanoplates over several days. XRD and XPDF indicate that gibbsite nanoplates precipitated at circumneutral pH contain dense, truncated sheets imparting a local difference in interlayer distance. These interlayer defects appear well described by flat Al13 aluminum hydroxide nanoclusters nearly isostructural with gibbsite sheets present under synthesis conditions and trapped as interlayer inclusions during growth. Ageing at elevated temperature in alkaline solutions gradually improves crystallinity, showing a gradual increase in H-bonding between interlayer OH groups. Between 7 to 8 vol% of the initial gibbsite nanoparticles exhibit this defect, with the majority of differences disappearing after 2-4 hours of recrystallization in alkaline solution. The results not only identify the source of disorder in gibbsite formed under acidic/neutral conditions but also point to a possible cluster-mediated growth mechanism evident through inclusion of relict oligomers with gibbsite-like topology trapped in the interlayer spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mateusz Dembowski
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Mark E Bowden
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Trent R Graham
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Micah Prange
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Hsiu-Wen Wang
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Xin Zhang
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Odeta Qafoku
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
| | - Carolyn I Pearce
- Pacific Northwest national Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
- Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
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12
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Leung K, Ilgen AG, Criscenti LJ. Interplay of physically different properties leading to challenges in separating lanthanide cations - an ab initio molecular dynamics and experimental study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:5750-5759. [PMID: 33662085 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp00031d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Lanthanide elements have well-documented similarities in their chemical behavior, which make the valuable trivalent lanthanide cations (Ln3+) particularly difficult to separate from each other in water. In this work, we apply ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to compare the free energies (ΔGads) associated with the adsorption of lanthanide cations to silica surfaces at a pH condition where SiO- groups are present. The predicted ΔGads for lutetium (Lu3+) and europium (Eu3+) are similar within statistical uncertainties; this is in qualitative agreement with our batch adsorption measurements on silica. This finding is remarkable because the two cations exhibit hydration free energies (ΔGhyd) that differ by >2 eV, different hydration numbers, and different hydrolysis behavior far from silica surfaces. We observe that the similarity in Lu3+ and Eu3+ ΔGads is the result of a delicate cancellation between the difference in Eu3+ and Lu3+ hydration (ΔGhyd), and their difference in binding energies to silica. We propose that disrupting this cancellation at the two end points, either for adsorbed or completely desorbed lanthanides (e.g., via nanoconfinment or mixed solvents), will lead to effective Ln3+ separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Leung
- Sandia National Laboratories, MS 1415, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA.
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13
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Wang Y, Song D, Zhou Y, Cheng C, Zhang Y, Pearce CI, Wang Z, Clark SB, Zhu J, Rosso KM, Zhu Z, Zhang X. Molecular Examination of Ion-Pair Competition in Alkaline Aluminate Solutions Using In Situ Liquid SIMS. Anal Chem 2020; 93:1068-1075. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yining Wang
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Xuanwu
District, Nanjing 210094, China
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Duo Song
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Yadong Zhou
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Cuixia Cheng
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 2, North First Street, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Carolyn I. Pearce
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Zheming Wang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Sue B. Clark
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Junwu Zhu
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Xuanwu
District, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Kevin M. Rosso
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Zihua Zhu
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Xin Zhang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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14
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Dembowski M, Graham TR, Reynolds JG, Clark SB, Rosso KM, Pearce CI. Influence of soluble oligomeric aluminum on precipitation in the Al-KOH-H 2O system. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:24677-24685. [PMID: 33103701 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp04820h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The role of oligomeric aluminate species in the precipitation of aluminum (Al) phases such as gibbsite (α-Al(OH)3) from aqueous hydroxide solutions remains unclear and difficult to probe directly, despite its importance for developing accurate predictions of Al solubility in highly alkaline systems. Precipitation in this system entails a transition from predominantly tetrahedrally coordinated aluminate (Al(OH)4-) species in solution to octahedrally coordinated Al in gibbsite. Here we report a quantitative study of dissolved Al in the Al-KOH-H2O system using a combination of molecular spectroscopies. We establish a relationship between changes in 27Al NMR chemical shifts and the relative intensity of Raman vibrational bands, indicative of variations in the ensemble speciation of Al in solution, and the formation of unique contact ion pair interactions with the aluminate dimer, Al2O(OH)62-. A strong correlation between the extent of Al oligomerization and the amount of solvated Al was demonstrated by systematically varying the KOH : Al molar ratio. The concentration of dissolved oligomeric Al in solution also directly impacted the particle size and morphology of the precipitated gibbsite. High concentrations of dimeric Al2O(OH)62- yielded smaller and more numerous anhedral to subhedral gibbsite particles, while low concentrations yielded fewer and larger euhedral gibbsite platelets. The collective observations suggest a key role for the Al2O(OH)62- dimer in promoting gibbsite precipitation from solution, with the potassium ion-paired dimer catalyzing a more rapid transformation of Al from tetrahedral coordination in solution to octahedral coordination in gibbsite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Dembowski
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, 99352, USA.
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15
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Jaegers NR, Hu W, Wang Y, Hu JZ. High-Temperature and High-Pressure In situ Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. J Vis Exp 2020:10.3791/61794. [PMID: 33104063 PMCID: PMC7877478 DOI: 10.3791/61794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy represents an important technique to understand the structure and bonding environments of molecules. There exists a drive to characterize materials under conditions relevant to the chemical process of interest. To address this, in situ high-temperature, high-pressure MAS NMR methods have been developed to enable the observation of chemical interactions over a range of pressures (vacuum to several hundred bar) and temperatures (well below 0 °C to 250 °C). Further, the chemical identity of the samples can be comprised of solids, liquids, and gases or mixtures of the three. The method incorporates all-zirconia NMR rotors (sample holder for MAS NMR) which can be sealed using a threaded cap to compress an O-ring. This rotor exhibits great chemical resistance, temperature compatibility, low NMR background, and can withstand high pressures. These combined factors enable it to be utilized in a wide range of system combinations, which in turn permit its use in diverse fields as carbon sequestration, catalysis, material science, geochemistry, and biology. The flexibility of this technique makes it an attractive option for scientists from numerous disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yong Wang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
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16
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Graham TR, Gorniak R, Dembowski M, Zhang X, Clark SB, Pearce CI, Clark AE, Rosso KM. Solid-State Recrystallization Pathways of Sodium Aluminate Hydroxy Hydrates. Inorg Chem 2020; 59:6857-6865. [PMID: 32253907 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Crystallization of Al3+-bearing solid phases from highly alkaline Na2O:Al2O3:H2O solutions commonly necessitates an Al3+ coordination change from tetrahedral to octahedral, but intermediate coordination states are often difficult to isolate. Here, a similar Al3+ coordination change process is examined during the solid-state recrystallization of monosodium aluminate hydrate (MSA) to nonasodium bis(hexahydroxyaluminate) trihydroxide hexahydrate (NSA) at ambient temperature. While the MSA structure contains solely oxolated tetrahedral Al3+, the NSA structure is a molecular aluminate salt solely based upon monomeric octahedral Al3+. Spontaneous recrystallization of MSA and excess sodium hydroxide hydrate into NSA over 3 days of reaction time was clearly evident in X-ray diffractograms and in Raman spectra. In situ single-pulse 27Al magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and 27Al multiple quantum (MQ) MAS NMR spectroscopy showed no evidence of intermediate aluminates, suggesting that transitional states, such as pentacoordinate Al3+, are short-lived and require spectroscopy with greater time resolution to detect. Such research is advancing upon a detailed mechanistic understanding of Al3+ coordination change mechanisms in these highly alkaline systems, with relevance to aluminum refining, corrosion sciences, and nuclear waste processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trent R Graham
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Rafal Gorniak
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Mateusz Dembowski
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Xin Zhang
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Sue B Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States.,Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.,Materials Science and Engineering Program, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Carolyn I Pearce
- Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Aurora E Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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17
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Servis MJ, Martinez-Baez E, Clark AE. Hierarchical phenomena in multicomponent liquids: simulation methods, analysis, chemistry. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:9850-9874. [PMID: 32154813 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp00164c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Complex, multicomponent, solutions have often been studied solely through the lens of specific applications of interest. Yet advances to both simulation methodologies (enhanced sampling, etc.) and analysis techniques (network analysis algorithms and others), are creating a trove of data that reveal transcending characteristics across vast compositional phase space. This perspective discusses technical considerations of the reliable and accurate simulations of complex solutions, followed by the advances to analysis algorithms that elucidate coupling of different length and timescale behavior (hierarchical phenomena). The different manifestations of hierarchical phenomena are presented across an array of solution environments, emphasizing fundamental and ongoing science questions. With a more advanced molecular understanding in hand, a quintessential application (solvent extraction) is discussed, where significant opportunities exist to re-imagine the technical scope of an established technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Servis
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
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18
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Dembowski M, Prange MP, Pouvreau M, Graham TR, Bowden ME, N'Diaye A, Schenter GK, Clark SB, Clark AE, Rosso KM, Pearce CI. Inference of principal species in caustic aluminate solutions through solid-state spectroscopic characterization. Dalton Trans 2020; 49:5869-5880. [PMID: 32307503 DOI: 10.1039/d0dt00229a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Tetrahedrally coordinated aluminate Al(OH)4- and dialuminate Al2O(OH)62- anions are considered to be major species in aluminum-rich alkaline solutions. However, their relative abundance remains difficult to spectroscopically quantify due to local structure similarities and poorly understood effects arising from extent of polymerization and counter-cations. To help unravel these relationships here we report detailed characterization of three solid-phase analogues as structurally and compositionally well-defined reference materials. We successfully synthesized a cesium salt of the aluminate monomer, CsAl(OH)4·2H2O, for comparison to potassium and rubidium salts of the aluminate dimer, K2Al2O(OH)6, and Rb2Al2O(OH)6, respectively. Single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction methods clearly reveal the structure and purity of these materials for which a combination of 27Al MAS-NMR, Al K-edge X-ray absorption and Raman/IR spectroscopies was then used to fingerprint the two major tetrahedrally coordinated Al species. The resulting insights into the effect of Al-O-Al bridge formation between aluminate tetrahedra on spectroscopic features may also be generalized to the many materials that are based on this motif.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Dembowski
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
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19
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Martinez-Baez E, Feng R, Pearce CI, Schenter GK, Clark AE. Al27 NMR chemical shift of Al(OH) 4 - calculated from first principles: Assessment of error cancellation in chemically distinct reference and target systems. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:134303. [PMID: 32268758 DOI: 10.1063/1.5144294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting accurate nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shieldings relies upon cancellation of different types of errors between the theoretically calculated shielding constant of the analyte of interest and the reference. Often, the intrinsic error in computed shieldings due to basis sets, approximations in the Hamiltonian, description of the wave function, and dynamic effects is nearly identical between the analyte and reference, yet if the electronic structure or sensitivity to local environment differs dramatically, this cannot be taken for granted. Detailed prior work has examined the octahedral trivalent cation Al(H2O)6 3+, accounting for ab initio intrinsic errors. However, the use of this species as a reference for the chemically distinct tetrahedral anion Al(OH)4 - requires an understanding of how these errors cancel in order to define the limits of accurately predicting Al27 chemical shielding in Al(OH)4 -. In this work, we estimate the absolute shielding of the Al27 nucleus in Al(OH)4 - at the coupled cluster level (515.1 ± 5.3 ppm). Shielding sensitivity to the choice of method approximation and atomic basis sets used has been evaluated. Solvent and thermal effects are assessed through ensemble averaging techniques using ab initio molecular dynamics. The contribution of each type of intrinsic error is assessed for the Al(H2O)6 3+ and Al(OH)4 - ions, revealing significant differences that fundamentally hamper the ability to accurately calculate the Al27 chemical shift of Al(OH)4 - from first principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Martinez-Baez
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
| | - Rulin Feng
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
| | - Carolyn I Pearce
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
| | | | - Aurora E Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
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20
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Jaegers NR, Mueller KT, Wang Y, Hu JZ. Variable Temperature and Pressure Operando MAS NMR for Catalysis Science and Related Materials. Acc Chem Res 2020; 53:611-619. [PMID: 31927984 PMCID: PMC7301621 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.9b00557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The characterization of catalytic materials under working conditions is of paramount importance for a realistic depiction and comprehensive understanding of the system. Under such relevant environments, catalysts often exhibit properties or reactivity not observed under standard spectroscopic conditions. Fulfilling such harsh environments as high temperature and pressure is a particular challenge for solid-state NMR where samples spin several thousand times a second within a strong magnetic field. To address concerns about the disparities between spectroscopic environments and operando conditions, novel MAS NMR technology has been developed that enables the probing of catalytic systems over a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and chemical environments. In this Account, new efforts to overcome the technical challenges in the development of operando and in situ MAS NMR will be briefly outlined. Emphasis will be placed on exploring the unique chemical regimes that take advantage of the new developments. With the progress achieved, it is possible to interrogate both structure and dynamics of the environments surrounding various nuclear constituents (1H, 13C, 23Na, 27Al, etc.), as well as assess time-resolved interactions and transformations.Operando and in situ NMR enables the direct observation of chemical components and their interactions with active sites (such as Brønsted acid sites on zeolites) to reveal the nature of the active center under catalytic conditions. Further, mixtures of such constituents can also be assessed to reveal the transformation of the active site when side products, such as water, are generated. These interactions are observed across a range of temperatures (-10 to 230 °C) and pressures (vacuum to 100 bar) for both vapor and condensed phase analysis. When coupled with 2D NMR, computational modeling, or both, specific binding modes are identified where the adsorbed state provides distinct signatures. In addition to vapor phase chemical environments, gaseous environments can be introduced and controlled over a wide range of pressures to support catalytic studies that require H2, CO, CO2, etc. Mixtures of three phases may also be employed. Such reactions can be monitored in situ to reveal the transformation of the substrates, active sites, intermediates, and products over the course of the study. Further, coupling of operando NMR with isotopic labeling schemes reveals specific mechanistic insights otherwise unavailable. Examples of these strategies will be outlined to reveal important fundamental insights on working catalyst systems possible only under operando conditions. Extension of operando MAS NMR to study the solid-electrolyte interface and solvation structures associated with energy storage systems and biomedical systems will also be presented to highlight the versatility of this powerful technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Jaegers
- Physical and Computational Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99163, United States
| | - Karl T Mueller
- Physical and Computational Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Yong Wang
- Physical and Computational Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99163, United States
| | - Jian Zhi Hu
- Physical and Computational Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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21
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Dembowski M, Snyder MM, Delegard CH, Reynolds JG, Graham TR, Wang HW, Leavy II, Baum SR, Qafoku O, Fountain MS, Rosso KM, Clark SB, Pearce CI. Ion-ion interactions enhance aluminum solubility in alkaline suspensions of nano-gibbsite (α-Al(OH) 3) with sodium nitrite/nitrate. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:4368-4378. [PMID: 31850442 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp05856g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Despite widespread industrial importance, predicting metal solubilities in highly concentrated, multicomponent aqueous solutions is difficult due to poorly understood ion-ion and ion-solvent interactions. Aluminum hydroxide solid phase solubility in concentrated sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions is one such case, with major implications for ore refining, as well as processing of radioactive waste stored at U.S. Department of Energy legacy sites, such as the Hanford Site, Washington State. The solubility of gibbsite (α-Al(OH)3) is often not well predicted because other ions affect the activity of hydroxide (OH-) and aluminate (Al(OH)4-) anions. In the present study, we systematically examined the influence of key anions, nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-), as sodium salts on the solubility of α-Al(OH)3 in NaOH solutions taking care to establish equilibrium from both under- and oversaturation. Rapid equilibration was enabled by use of a highly pure and crystalline synthetic nano-gibbsite of well-defined particle size and shape. Measured dissolved aluminum concentrations were compared with those predicted by an α-Al(OH)3 solubility model derived for simple Al(OH)4-/OH- systems. Specific anion effects were expressed as an enhancement factor (Alenhc) conveying the excess of dissolved aluminum. At 45 °C, NaNO2 and NaNO3-containing systems exhibited Alenhc values of 2.70 and 1.88, respectively, indicating significant enhancement. The solutions were examined by Raman and high-field 27Al NMR spectroscopy, indicating specific interactions including Al(OH)4--Na+ contact ion pairing and Al(OH)4--NO2-/NO3- ion-ion interactions. Dynamic evolution of the α-Al(OH)3 particles including growth and agglomeration was observed revealing the importance of dissolution/reprecipitation in establishing equilibrium. These studies indicate that incomplete ion hydration, as a result of the low water activity in these concentrated electrolytes, results in: (i) enhanced reactivity of the hydroxide ion with respect to α-Al(OH)3; (ii) increased concentrations of Al(OH)4- in solution; and (iii) stronger ion-ion interactions that act to stabilize the supersaturated solutions. This information on the mechanisms by which α-Al(OH)3 becomes supersaturated is essential for more energy-efficient aluminum processing technologies, including the treatment of millions of gallons of Al(OH)4--rich high-level radioactive waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Dembowski
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
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22
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Wang S, Zhang X, Graham TR, Zhang H, Pearce CI, Wang Z, Clark SB, Jiang W, Rosso KM. Two-step route to size and shape controlled gibbsite nanoplates and the crystal growth mechanism. CrystEngComm 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0ce00114g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Size and shape-controlled synthesis of gibbsite nanoplates via an additive-free two-step route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyun Wang
- Physical & Computational Sciences Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Washington 99354
- USA
- School of Chemical Engineering
| | - Xin Zhang
- Physical & Computational Sciences Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Washington 99354
- USA
| | - Trent R. Graham
- Physical & Computational Sciences Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Washington 99354
- USA
| | - Hailin Zhang
- Physical & Computational Sciences Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Washington 99354
- USA
| | - Carolyn I. Pearce
- Energy & Environment Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Richland
- USA
| | - Zheming Wang
- Physical & Computational Sciences Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Washington 99354
- USA
| | - Sue B. Clark
- Energy & Environment Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Richland
- USA
- The Voiland School of Chemical and Biological Engineering
| | - Wei Jiang
- School of Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology
- Nanjing 210094
- China
| | - Kevin M. Rosso
- Physical & Computational Sciences Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Washington 99354
- USA
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23
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Graham TR, Hu JZ, Zhang X, Dembowski M, Jaegers NR, Wan C, Bowden M, Lipton AS, Felmy AR, Clark SB, Rosso KM, Pearce CI. Unraveling Gibbsite Transformation Pathways into LiAl-LDH in Concentrated Lithium Hydroxide. Inorg Chem 2019; 58:12385-12394. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b02000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Trent R. Graham
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- The Voiland School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Jian Zhi Hu
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Biological Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Xin Zhang
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Mateusz Dembowski
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Nicholas R. Jaegers
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Biological Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Chuan Wan
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Mark Bowden
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Andrew S. Lipton
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Andrew R. Felmy
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Sue B. Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
- Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Kevin M. Rosso
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Carolyn I. Pearce
- Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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24
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Graham TR, Han KS, Dembowski M, Krzysko AJ, Zhang X, Hu J, Clark SB, Clark AE, Schenter GK, Pearce CI, Rosso KM. 27Al Pulsed Field Gradient, Diffusion–NMR Spectroscopy of Solvation Dynamics and Ion Pairing in Alkaline Aluminate Solutions. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:10907-10912. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b10145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Trent R. Graham
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- The Voiland School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Kee Sung Han
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Mateusz Dembowski
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Anthony J. Krzysko
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Xin Zhang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Jianzhi Hu
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Sue B. Clark
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Aurora E. Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Gregory K. Schenter
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Carolyn I. Pearce
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Kevin M. Rosso
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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