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Gousseva E, Towers Tompkins FK, Seymour JM, Parker LG, Clarke CJ, Palgrave RG, Bennett RA, Grau-Crespo R, Lovelock KRJ. Anion-Dependent Strength Scale of Interactions in Ionic Liquids from X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics, and Density Functional Theory. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5030-5043. [PMID: 38727250 PMCID: PMC11129296 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Using a combination of experiments and calculations, we have gained new insights into the nature of anion-cation interactions in ionic liquids (ILs). An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)-derived anion-dependent electrostatic interaction strength scale, determined using XPS core-level binding energies for IL cations, is presented here for 39 different anions, with at least 18 new anions included. Linear correlations of experimental XPS core-level binding energies for IL cations with (a) calculated core binding energies (ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations were used to generate high-quality model IL structures followed by single-point density functional theory (DFT) to obtain calculated core binding energies), (b) experimental XPS core-level binding energies for IL anions, and (c) other anion-dependent interaction strength scales led to three main conclusions. First, the effect of different anions on the cation can be related to ground-state interactions. Second, the variations of anion-dependent interactions with the identity of the anion are best rationalized in terms of electrostatic interactions and not occupied valence state/unoccupied valence state interactions or polarizability-driven interactions. Therefore, the XPS-derived anion-dependent interaction strength scale can be explained using a simple electrostatic model based on electrostatic site potentials. Third, anion-probe interactions, irrespective of the identity of the probe, are primarily electrostatic, meaning that our electrostatic interaction strength scale captures some inherent, intrinsic property of anions independent of the probe used to measure the interaction strength scale.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jake M. Seymour
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DX, U.K.
| | - Lewis G. Parker
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DX, U.K.
| | - Coby J. Clarke
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Robert G. Palgrave
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Roger A. Bennett
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DX, U.K.
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2
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Liu L, Zhu T, Li J, Wang C, Zhao Y, Yang M, Cheng H, Dong Y. Strategic structure modulation of novel quinoxaline-derived liquid organic hydrogen carriers for enhanced dehydrogenation kinetics. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:4048-4051. [PMID: 38502133 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00766b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
This study introduces novel Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs) derived from quinoxaline. It shows that strategically incorporating N atoms and methyl groups markedly improves the hydrogen release kinetics. This structural modulation optimizes the adsorption properties and enables low-temp C-H bond activation, providing valuable insights for developing efficient LOHCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Liu
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Ting Zhu
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Can Wang
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Yinheng Zhao
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Ming Yang
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Hansong Cheng
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Yuan Dong
- Sustainable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
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3
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Feng X, Chen G, Cui Z, Qin R, Jiao W, Huang Z, Shang Z, Ma C, Zheng X, Han Y, Huang W. Engineering Electronic Structure of Nitrogen-Carbon Sites by sp 3 -Hybridized Carbon and Incorporating Chlorine to Boost Oxygen Reduction Activity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316314. [PMID: 38032121 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Development of efficient and easy-to-prepare low-cost oxygen reaction electrocatalysts is essential for widespread application of rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, we mixed NaCl and ZIF-8 by simple physical milling and pyrolysis to obtain a metal-free porous electrocatalyst doped with Cl (mf-pClNC). The mf-pClNC electrocatalyst exhibits a good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity (E1/2 =0.91 V vs. RHE) and high stability in alkaline electrolyte, exceeding most of the reported transition metal carbon-based electrocatalysts and being comparable to commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts. Likewise, the mf-pClNC electrocatalyst also shows state-of-the-art ORR activity and stability in acidic electrolyte. From experimental and theoretical calculations, the better ORR activity is most likely originated from the fact that the introduced Cl promotes the increase of sp3 -hybridized carbon, while the sp3 -hybridized carbon and Cl together modify the electronic structure of the N-adjacent carbons, as the active sites, while NaCl molten-salt etching provides abundant paths for the transport of electrons/protons. Furthermore, the liquid rechargeable ZAB using the mf-pClNC electrocatalyst as the cathode shows a fulfilling performance with a peak power density of 276.88 mW cm-2 . Flexible quasi-solid-state rechargeable ZAB constructed with the mf-pClNC electrocatalyst as the cathode exhibits an exciting performance both at low, high and room temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Feng
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Guanzhen Chen
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Zhibo Cui
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Rong Qin
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Wensheng Jiao
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Zeyi Huang
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Ziang Shang
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Chao Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xusheng Zheng
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230029, China
| | - Yunhu Han
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE), Ningbo Institute, and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
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4
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Gousseva E, Midgley SD, Seymour JM, Seidel R, Grau-Crespo R, Lovelock KRJ. Understanding X-ray Photoelectron Spectra of Ionic Liquids: Experiments and Simulations of 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Thiocyanate. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:10500-10509. [PMID: 36455069 PMCID: PMC9761679 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c06372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate a combined experimental and computational approach to probe the electronic structure and atomic environment of an ionic liquid, based on core level binding energies. The 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate [C4C1Im][SCN] ionic liquid was studied using ab initio molecular dynamics, and results were compared against previously published and new experimental X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data. The long-held assumption that initial-state effects in XPS dominate the measured binding energies is proven correct, which validates the established premise that the ground state electronic structure of the ionic liquid can be inferred directly from XPS measurements. A regression model based upon site electrostatic potentials and intramolecular bond lengths is shown to account accurately for variations in core-level binding energies within the ionic liquid, demonstrating the important effect of long-range interactions on the core levels and throwing into question the validity of traditional single ion pair ionic liquid calculations for interpreting XPS data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott D. Midgley
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Reading, ReadingRG6 6DX, U.K.
| | - Jake M. Seymour
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Reading, ReadingRG6 6DX, U.K.
| | - Robert Seidel
- Helmholtz-Zentrum
Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Berlin14109, Germany
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Seymour JM, Gousseva E, Large AI, Clarke CJ, Licence P, Fogarty RM, Duncan DA, Ferrer P, Venturini F, Bennett RA, Palgrave RG, Lovelock KRJ. Experimental measurement and prediction of ionic liquid ionisation energies. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:20957-20973. [PMID: 34545382 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02441h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ionic liquid (IL) valence electronic structure provides key descriptors for understanding and predicting IL properties. The ionisation energies of 60 ILs are measured and the most readily ionised valence state of each IL (the highest occupied molecular orbital, HOMO) is identified using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and synchrotron resonant XPS. A structurally diverse range of cations and anions were studied. The cation gave rise to the HOMO for nine of the 60 ILs presented here, meaning it is energetically more favourable to remove an electron from the cation than the anion. The influence of the cation on the anion electronic structure (and vice versa) were established; the electrostatic effects are well understood and demonstrated to be consistently predictable. We used this knowledge to make predictions of both ionisation energy and HOMO identity for a further 516 ILs, providing a very valuable dataset for benchmarking electronic structure calculations and enabling the development of models linking experimental valence electronic structure descriptors to other IL properties, e.g. electrochemical stability. Furthermore, we provide design rules for the prediction of the electronic structure of ILs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M Seymour
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AD, UK.
| | | | - Alexander I Large
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AD, UK. .,Diamond Light Source, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Coby J Clarke
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Peter Licence
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | | | | | - Pilar Ferrer
- Diamond Light Source, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
| | | | - Roger A Bennett
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AD, UK.
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