Understanding trichloroethylene chemisorption to iron surfaces using density functional theory

Synergistic Catalysis of SO42-/TiO2-CNT for the CO2 Desorption Process with Low Energy Consumption

To address the issue of high energy consumption associated with monoethanolamine (MEA) regeneration in the CO2 capture process, solid acid catalysts have been widely investigated due to their performance in accelerating carbamate decomposition. The recently discovered carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst presents efficient catalytic activity for bicarbonate decomposition. In this paper, bifunctional catalysts SO42-/TiO2-CNT (STC) were prepared, which could simultaneously catalyze carbamate and bicarbonate decomposition, and outstanding catalytic performance has been exhibited. STC significantly increased the CO2 desorption amount by 82.3% and decreased the relative heat duty by 46% compared to the MEA-CO2 solution without catalysts. The excellent stability of STC was confirmed by 15 cyclic absorption-desorption experiments, showing good practical feasibility for decreasing energy consumption in an industrial CO2 capture process. Furthermore, associated with the results of experimental characterization and theoretical calculations, the synergistic catalysis of STC catalysts via proton and charge transfer was proposed. This work demonstrated the potential of STC catalysts in improving the efficiency of amine regeneration processes and reducing energy consumption, contributing to the design of more effective and economical catalysts for carbon capture.

Intrinsic Effects of Sulfidation on the Reactivity of Zero-Valent Iron With Trichloroethene: A DFT Study

Sulfidation represents a promising approach to enhance the selectivity and longevity of zero-valent iron (ZVI) in water treatment, particularly for nanoscale ZVI (nZVI). While previous mechanistic studies have primarily concentrated on the impact of sulfidation on the (n)ZVI hydrophobicity, the fundamental effects of sulfidation on the (n)ZVI reactivity with target contaminants remain poorly understood. Herein, we employed density functional theory to elucidate reaction mechanisms of trichloroethene (TCE) dechlorination at various (n)ZVI surface models, ranging from pristine Fe0 to regularly sulfidated Fe surfaces. Our findings indicate that sulfidation intrinsically hinders the TCE dechlorination by (n)ZVI, which aligns with prior observations of sulfur poisoning in transition metal catalysts. We further demonstrate that the positive effects of sulfidation emerge when the surface of (n)ZVI undergoes corrosion. Notably, S sites exhibit higher reactivity compared to the sites typically present on the surface of (n)ZVI oxidized in water. Additionally, S sites protect nearby Fe sites against oxidation and make them more selective for direct electron transfer. Overall, our results reveal that the reactivity of sulfidated (n)ZVI is governed by an interplay of intrinsic inhibitory effects and corrosion protection. A deeper understanding of these phenomena may provide new insights into the selectivity of sulfidated (n)ZVI for specific contaminants.

Iron nitride nanoparticles for rapid dechlorination of mixed chlorinated ethene contamination

Sulfidation and, more recently, nitriding have been recognized as promising modifications to enhance the selectivity of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles for trichloroethene (TCE). Herein, we investigated the performance of iron nitride (Fe_xN) nanoparticles in the removal of a broader range of chlorinated ethenes (CEs), including tetrachloroethene (PCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE), and their mixture with TCE, and compared it to the performance of sulfidated nZVI (S-nZVI) prepared from the same precursor nZVI. Two distinct types of iron nitride (Fe_xN) nanoparticles, containing γ'-Fe₄N and ε-Fe_2-3N phases, exhibited substantially higher PCE and cis-DCE dechlorination rates compared to S-nZVI. A similar effect was observed with a CE mixture, which was completely dechlorinated by both types of Fe_xN nanoparticles within 10 days, whereas S-nZVI was able to remove only about half of the amount, most of which being TCE. Density functional theory calculations further revealed that the cleavage of the first C-Cl bond was the rate-limiting step for all CEs dechlorinated on the γ'-Fe₄N(001) surface, with the reaction barriers of PCE and cis-DCE being 29.9, and 40.8 kJ mol^-1, respectively. Fe_xN nanoparticles proved to be highly effective in the remediation of PCE, cis-DCE, and mixed CE contamination.

Unveiling the positive effect of mineral induced natural organic matter (NOM) on catalyst properties and catalytic dechlorination performance: An experiment and DFT study

Herein, we report the significant effects of natural organic matter contained in natural zeolite (Z-NOM) on the physicochemical characteristics of a Ni/Fe@natural zeolite (NF@NZ) catalyst and its decontamination performance toward the dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE). Z-NOM predominantly consists of humic-like substances and has demonstrable utility in the synthesis of bimetallic catalysts. Compared to NF@NZ_600C (devoid of Z-NOM), NF@NZ had increased dispersibility and mobility and showed significant enhancement in the catalytic dechlorination of TCE owing to the encapsulation of Ni⁰/Fe⁰ nanoparticles by Z-NOM. The results of corrosion experiments, spectroscopic analyses, and H₂ production experiments confirmed that Ni⁰ acted as an efficient cocatalyst with Fe⁰ to enhance the dechlorination of TCE to ethane, and Z-NOM-capped Ni⁰ showed improved adsorption of TCE and atomic hydrogen on their reactive sites and oxidation resistance. The density functional theory (DFT) studies have substantiated the improved adsorption of TCE due to the presence of NOM (especially by COOH structure) and the enhanced charge density at the Ni site in the Ni/Fe bimetal alloy for the stronger adsorption of hydrogen atoms that ultimately enhanced the TCE reduction reaction. These findings illustrate the efficiency of NOM containing natural minerals toward the synthesis of bimetallic catalysts for practical applications.

Iron Nitride Nanoparticles for Enhanced Reductive Dechlorination of Trichloroethylene

Nitriding has been used for decades to improve the corrosion resistance of iron and steel materials. Moreover, iron nitrides (Fe_xN) have been shown to give an outstanding catalytic performance in a wide range of applications. We demonstrate that nitriding also substantially enhances the reactivity of zerovalent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) used for groundwater remediation, alongside reducing particle corrosion. Two different types of Fe_xN nanoparticles were synthesized by passing gaseous NH₃/N₂ mixtures over pristine nZVI at elevated temperatures. The resulting particles were composed mostly of face-centered cubic (γ'-Fe₄N) and hexagonal close-packed (ε-Fe_2-3N) arrangements. Nitriding was found to increase the particles' water contact angle and surface availability of iron in reduced forms. The two types of Fe_xN nanoparticles showed a 20- and 5-fold increase in the trichloroethylene (TCE) dechlorination rate, compared to pristine nZVI, and about a 3-fold reduction in the hydrogen evolution rate. This was related to a low energy barrier of 27.0 kJ mol^-1 for the first dechlorination step of TCE on the γ'-Fe₄N(001) surface, as revealed by density functional theory calculations with an implicit solvation model. TCE dechlorination experiments with aged particles showed that the γ'-Fe₄N nanoparticles retained high reactivity even after three months of aging. This combined theoretical-experimental study shows that Fe_xN nanoparticles represent a new and potentially important tool for TCE dechlorination.

A theoretical study of adsorption on iron sulfides towards nanoparticle modeling

Surface modification of zero-valent iron (nZVI) nanoparticles, which are frequently used in the removal of chlorinated hydrocarbons from contaminated groundwater, can increase their surface stability without significant loss of reactivity. Sulfidation is a process during which thin iron sulfide phases are formed on nZVI particles. In this work, the adsorption capability of two iron sulfide minerals (mackinawite and pyrite) and ZVI with respect to two small polar molecules (H2O and H2S) and trichloroethylene (TCE) was modeled by using the quantum mechanics (QM) approach. High-level QM methods used on cluster models helped in benchmarking and validation of density functional theory methods used on periodic slab models of the (001) surfaces of iron sulfides and the (111) surface of ZVI. This careful computational treatment was necessary for achieving reliable results because modeled iron containing compounds represent computationally demanding systems. The results showed that adsorption was strongly affected by surface topology, accessibility of surface sites, and the shape of adsorbed molecular species. The mackinawite surface is practically hydrophobic having weak interactions with polar molecules (about -5/-6 kcal mol-1), in contrast to the surfaces of pyrite and ZVI (adsorption energies are about three times larger). On the other hand, the adsorption of weakly polar planar TCE molecule is relatively strong and similar for all three surfaces (in the range of -11 to -17 kcal mol-1). Moreover, it was shown that the dominant component of the adsorption energy of TCE had originated from dispersion interactions, which were less important for small polar molecules.

Diversity in the species and fate of chlorine during TCE reduction by two nZVI with non-identical anaerobic corrosion mechanism

There have been many studies on TCE degradation by synthesized nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI^B) and commercial nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI^H), but the effect of anaerobic corrosion on the dechlorination pathways and speciation distribution of chlorine is still unclear. Compared with nZVI^H, nZVI^B has a faster degradation rate of TCE and formation rate of Cl^-(aq) (k_{SA, TCE} = 3.67 ± 0.85 × 10^-4 & 2.17 ± 0.13 × 10^-4 L·h^-1·m^-2 and k_{obs, Cl}^- = 0.344 ± 0.027 & 0.166 ± 0.010 μM·h^-1 for nZVI^B & nZVI^H, respectively). Based on the characterization of XRD, XPS and TEM during the anaerobic corrosion, the corrosion of nZVI^B was dramatic under the dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism; but that of nZVI^H was moderate and inward by maintaining the core-shell structure and shaping slightly rough and lumpy surface. Due to the different corrosion products (FeOOH for nZVI^B and Fe₃O₄/γ-Fe₂O₃ for nZVI^H) and the catalysis of boron on the nZVI^B surface, the preferential dechlorination pathway of TCE was not identical by hydrogenolysis (nZVI^B) vs. reductive β-elimination (nZVI^H). Meanwhile, the dechlorination pathway of nZVI^H was similar to that of ZVI and the reductive pathway to acetylene bypassed the formation of more toxic VC. This study shows that the high reactivity of nZVI^B results in rapid corrosion with the side effect of enhanced adsorption of VC while nZVI^H has a stable core-shell structure and less sorbed chlorine, which provides a new sight to access the ecological risk of nZVI due to the overlooked effect of non-identical corrosion.

A comparison of the dechlorination mechanisms and Ni release styles of chloroalkane and chloroalkene removal using nickel/iron nanoparticles

In this study, we compared the removal kinetics and Ni release styles of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), trichloroethylene (TCE), and tetrachloroethene (PCE) that result from the use of Ni/Fe nanoparticles in water. Compared to TCE and PCE, 1,1,1-TCA was more readily removed, and the concentration profiles of the three chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) during the reduction processes fit pseudo-first-order reaction rate models well. The surface area-normalized rate constants show that the 11% Ni Ni/Fe nanoparticles, which has the largest Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, has the highest capacity for 1,1,1-TCA removal per unit surface area and that the 6% Ni sample was the best for removing TCE and PCE. The observed by-products suggested that hydrogenolysis was responsible for the dechlorination of CAHs in the presence of Ni/Fe nanoparticles. More Ni2+ was released during the degradation of 1,1,1-TCA than that of TCE and PCE because Ni will reduce the CAHs directly as a zerovalent metal does when hydrogen atoms in the Ni lattice are not sufficient due to the rapid incomplete dechlorination of 1,1,1-TCA. The different modes of adsorption of chloroalkane and chloroalkene onto the surfaces of Ni/Fe particles might play an important role in their dechlorination process.

Effect of SO on 1,1,1-trichloroethane degradation by Fe(0) in aqueous solution

Sulfate in groundwater has been previously shown to change the reactivity of Fe(0) in permeable reactive barriers for reducing chlorinated organics. To better understand the effect and mechanism of SO, the degradation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) by Fe(0) in unbuffered aqueous solutions with and without SO was investigated. In a Fe(0) -TCA-H2 O system with initial pH of 2.0 to 10.0, the maximum removal rate of TCA was achieved at the initial pH 6.0 with pseudo-first-order constant Kobs 9.0 × 10(-3) /min. But in a Fe(0) -TCA-Na2 SO4 -H2 O system, the removal rate of TCA decreased remarkably with a reduction in Kobs to 1.0 × 10(-3) /min, and the pH varied from 6.0 to 9.6, indicating an inhibition of TCA dehydrochlorination by SO. Sulfate remarkably inhibited TCA degradation via changing the route of Fe(0) dissolution. It accelerated the dissolution of Fe(0) and transformed the intermediate form Fe(OH)ads to Fe2 (SO4 )ads , which weakened the affinity between Fe and TCA, and thus depressed the degradation of TCA by Fe(0) .

Understanding pH Effects on Trichloroethylene and Perchloroethylene Adsorption to Iron in Permeable Reactive Barriers for Groundwater Remediation

Metallic iron filings are becoming increasing used in permeable reactive barriers for remediating groundwater contaminated by chlorinated solvents. Understanding solution pH effects on rates of reductive dechlorination in permeable reactive barriers is essential for designing remediation systems that can meet treatment objectives under conditions of varying groundwater properties. The objective of this research was to investigate how the solution pH value affects adsorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) on metallic iron surfaces. Because adsorption is first required before reductive dechlorination can occur, pH effects on halocarbon adsorption energies may explain pH effects on dechlorination rates. Adsorption energies for TCE and PCE were calculated via molecular mechanics simulations using the Universal force field and a self-consistent reaction field charge equilibration scheme. A range in solution pH values was simulated by varying the amount of atomic hydrogen adsorbed on the iron. The potential energies associated TCE and PCE complexes were dominated by electrostatic interactions, and complex formation with the surface was found to result in significant electron transfer from the iron to the adsorbed halocarbons. Adsorbed atomic hydrogen was found to lower the energies of TCE complexes more than those for PCE. Attractions between atomic hydrogen and iron atoms were more favorable when TCE versus PCE was adsorbed to the iron surface. These two findings are consistent with the experimental observation that changes in solution pH affect TCE reaction rates more than those for PCE.

Reactivity of Fe/FeS nanoparticles: electrolyte composition effects on corrosion electrochemistry

Zerovalent iron nanoparticles (Fe(0) NPs or nZVI) synthesized by reductive precipitation in aqueous solution (Fe/FeO) differ in composition and reactivity from the NPs obtained by reductive precipitation in the presence of a S-source such as dithionite (Fe/FeS). To compare the redox properties of these types of NPs under a range of environmentally relevant solution conditions, stationary powder disk electrodes (PDEs) made from Fe/FeO and Fe/FeS were characterized using a series of complementary electrochemical techniques: open-circuit chronopotentiometry (CP), linear polarization resistance (LPR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The passive films on these materials equilibrate within minutes of first immersion and do not show further breakdown until >1 day of exposure. During this period, the potentials and currents measured by LPR and LSV suggest that Fe/FeS undergoes more rapid corrosion and is more strongly influence by solution chemical conditions than Fe/FeO. Chloride containing media were strongly activating and natural organic matter (NOM) was mildly passivating for both materials. These effects were also seen in the impedance data obtained by EIS, and equivalent circuit modeling of the electrodes composed of these powders suggested that the higher reactivity of Fe/FeS is due to greater abundance of defects in its passive film.

Abiotic degradation of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes in water

INTRODUCTION

Chlorinated ethanes and ethenes are among the most frequently detected organic pollutants of water. Their physicochemical properties are such that they can contaminate aquifers for decades. In favourable conditions, they can undergo degradation. In anaerobic conditions, chlorinated solvents can undergo reductive dechlorination.

DEGRADATION PATHWAYS

Abiotic dechlorination is usually slower than microbial but abiotic dechlorination is usually complete. In favourable conditions, abiotic reactions bring significant contribution to natural attenuation processes. Abiotic agents that may enhance the reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes are zero-valent metals, sulphide minerals or green rusts.

OXIDATION

At some sites, permanganate and Fenton's reagent can be used as remediation tool for oxidation of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes.

SUMMARY

Nanoscale iron or bimetallic particles, due to high efficiency in degradation of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes, have gained much interest. They allow for rapid degradation of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes in water phase, but they also give benefit of treating dense non-aqueous phase liquid.

Density functional theory studies on the relative reactivity of chloroethenes on zerovalent iron

The gas-phase dissociation of perchloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) on zerovalent iron Fe(110) was investigated using periodic density functional theory (DFT) with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and climbing image nudged elastic band method (CI-NEB). Activation energies and dechlorination rate constants for reductive beta-elimination of the chloroethene compounds were calculated using an Arrhenius equation with theoretically calculated vibrational frequencies for the compounds. Activation energies were found to decrease as the chlorination number increases. The reaction rate-limiting step for PCE dissociation occurs at the second chlorine cleavage, while the rate-limiting steps for TCE and cis-DCE occur at the first chlorine cleavage. The activation energies of PCE, TCE, and cis-DCE at their rate-limiting steps are 9.9, 16.6, and 23.8 kJ/mol, respectively. Energy profiles along the reaction coordinate for the dechlorination paths are presented. The relative gas-phase reactivity order among chlorothenes on Fe(110) was found to be PCE > TCE > cis-DCE. At room temperature (300 K), the PCE dechlorination rate is 14 and 338 times faster, respectively, than that of TCE and cis-DCE. Details regarding the electronic properties of the transition states of the dechlorinated compounds are reported.

Degradation of Trichloroethylene and Dichlorobiphenyls by Iron-Based Bimetallic Nanoparticles

Bimetallic nanoparticles of Ni/Fe and Pd/Fe were used to study the degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) at room temperature. The activity for different iron-based nanoparticles with nickel as the catalytic dopant was analyzed using iron mass-normalized hydrogen generation rate. Degradation kinetics in terms of surface area-normalized rate constant was observed to have a strong correlation with the hydrogen generated by iron oxidation. A sorption study was conducted, and a mathematical model was derived that incorporates the reaction and Langmuirian-type sorption terms to estimate the intrinsic rate constant and rate-limiting step in the degradation process, assuming negligible mass transfer resistance of TCE to the solid particles phase. A longevity study through repeated cycle experiments was conducted to analyze the effect of activity loss on the reaction mechanistic pathway, and the results showed that the attenuation in the nanoparticles activity did not adversely affect the reaction mechanisms in generating gaseous products such as ethylene and ethane.

Density functional theory studies of chloroethene adsorption on zerovalent iron

Adsorption of perchloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) on zerovalent iron is investigated using density functional theory (DFT) to evaluate hypotheses concerning the relative reactivity of these compounds on zerovalent iron. Four different chloroethene adsorption modes on the Fe(110) surface were studied using periodic DFT and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Of the adsorption sites examined, the atop site, where the chloroethene C==C bond straddles a surface iron atom, was the most energetically favorable site for the adsorption of all three chloroethenes. Electronic structure and property analyses provide an indication of the extent of sp2-sp3 hybridization. The strong hybridization of the pi-bonding orbital between the chloroethene C==C bond and the iron surface suggests that adsorbed chloroethenes are strongly activated on Fe(110) and are likely precursors for subsequent chloroethene dissociation on the Fe surface. When the effect of solvation is indirectly taken into account in the DFT simulations by considering the hydration energies of chloroethenes in bulkwater,the ordering ofthe adsorption energies of chloroethenes from the aqueous phase onto Fe(110) is in agreement with experimental observation (PCE > TCE > cis-DCE). Electronic properties of the adsorbed configurations of chloroethenes are also presented.

Understanding reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene on boron-doped diamond film electrodes

This research investigated reduction of trichloroethylene (TCE) at boron-doped diamond (BDD) film cathodes using a rotating disk electrode reactor. Rates of TCE reduction were determined as functions of the electrode potential and TCE concentration over a temperature range between 2 and 32 degrees C. Reduction of TCE resulted in production of acetate and chloride ions with no detectable intermediate products. At a current density of 15 mA/cm2 and concentrations below 0.75 mM, reaction rates were first order with respect to TCE concentration, with surface area normalized rate constants 2 orders of magnitude greater than those for iron electrodes. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations were used to evaluate activation barriers for reduction by direct electron transfer, and for reaction with four functional groups commonly found on BDD surfaces. The DFT calculated activation barrier for direct electron transfer was more than 4 times greater than the experimentally measured value of 22 kJ/mol. In contrast, the DFT activation barrier for reaction at a deprotonated hydroxyl site on a tertiary carbon atom (triple bond C-O(-)) of 24 kJ/mol was in close agreement with the experimental value. Both experiments and quantum mechanical simulations support a TCE reduction mechanism that involves chemically adsorbed intermediates.