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Li HF, Wang HQ, Zhang YK. Exploring the Structural and Electronic Properties of Niobium Carbide Clusters: A Density Functional Theory Study. Molecules 2024; 29:3238. [PMID: 38999190 PMCID: PMC11243446 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29133238] [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: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper systematically investigates the structure, stability, and electronic properties of niobium carbide clusters, NbmCn (m = 5, 6; n = 1-7), using density functional theory. Nb5C2 and Nb5C6 possess higher dissociation energies and second-order difference energies, indicating that they have higher thermodynamic stability. Moreover, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations are used to demonstrate the thermal stability of these structures. The analysis of the density of states indicates that the molecular orbitals of NbmCn (m = 5, 6; n = 1-7) are primarily contributed by niobium atoms, with carbon atoms having a smaller contribution. The composition of the frontier molecular orbitals reveals that niobium atoms contribute approximately 73.1% to 99.8% to NbmCn clusters, while carbon atoms contribute about 0.2% to 26.9%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Fang Li
- College of Engineering, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China
| | - Huai-Qian Wang
- College of Engineering, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Yu-Kun Zhang
- College of Engineering, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China
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Huang B, Gan W, Hansen K, Luo Z. What Determines the Drastic Reactivity of Nb n+ Clusters with Nitric Oxide under Thermalized Conditions? J Phys Chem A 2022; 126:4801-4809. [PMID: 35830281 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c03977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We report an in-depth study of the adsorption and reaction of NO with cationic Nbn+ (n = 1-20) clusters under thermalized conditions in a laminar flow tube reactor in tandem with a customized triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (FT-TQMS). It is found that the small-sized Nbn+ clusters (2 ≤ n ≤ 7) readily react with NO giving rise to dominant fragmentation products pertaining to the loss of a stable diatomic molecule NbO or NbN. In contrast, the reaction products of larger-sized clusters (n ≥ 10) proceed through diverse channels, including NO adsorption, N2/N2O release, and even NO2 formation. These experimental observations provided the incentive for us to dig deep into the reaction mechanism with the help of DFT calculations. In contrast to the NO-donation coordination in transition metal complexes, here the cationic Nbn+ clusters exhibit dominant electronic donation in initiating the reactions with NO molecules. We fully demonstrated the reaction rate constants, compared the reaction energy diagram of typical Nbn+ clusters, and unveiled the distinct interaction mechanism of niobium clusters available for NO activation and conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benben Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory of Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wen Gan
- Beijing National Laboratory of Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Klavs Hansen
- Center for Joint Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, School of Science, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zhixun Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory of Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Pansini F, de Campos M, Neto A, Sergio C. Theoretical study of the electronic structure and electrical properties of Al-doped niobium clusters. Chem Phys 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2020.110778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Jahn-Teller and Pseudo Jahn-Teller Effects: Influences on the Electronic Structures of Small Transition, Main Group and Mixed Metal Clusters. Struct Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11224-019-01448-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Pansini FNN, Neto AC, de Campos M, de Aquino RM. Effects of All-Electron Basis Sets and the Scalar Relativistic Corrections in the Structure and Electronic Properties of Niobium Clusters. J Phys Chem A 2017; 121:5728-5734. [PMID: 28686436 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.7b04600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, an augmented all-electron double-ζ basis set is used in calculations of the structure and electronic properties of small niobium clusters. The B3PW91 and M06 DFT functionals with and without second order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH) scalar relativistic corrections are also utilized. Furthermore, an additional d Gaussian type function is introduced in the standard basis sets in order to improve the description of the clusters orbitals in the valence band. Our findings show that the extra d function is important to yield accurate results of electronic properties and, in addition, the DKH corrections can be relevant when the all-electron basis sets are used in the calculations. Our best results are obtained with the M06 functional together with the DKH second order corrections and with the extra d function added to the all-electron basis set.
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Affiliation(s)
- F N N Pansini
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo , 29075-910 Vitória, Brazil
| | - A C Neto
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo , 29075-910 Vitória, Brazil
| | - M de Campos
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Roraima , 69310-000 Boa Vista, Brazil
| | - R M de Aquino
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Roraima , 69310-000 Boa Vista, Brazil
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Laury ML, Wilson AK. Examining the heavyp-block with a pseudopotential-based composite method: Atomic and molecular applications of rp-ccCA. J Chem Phys 2012; 137:214111. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4768420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Nhat PV, Nguyen MT. Structures, spectra, and energies of niobium clusters from Nb13 to Nb20. J Phys Chem A 2012; 116:7405-18. [PMID: 22686504 DOI: 10.1021/jp302279j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A comprehensive theoretical investigation on structures and properties of niobium clusters in the range from 13 to 20 atoms, in three different charged states, is performed by using the BPW91 and M06 functionals and the cc-pVDZ-PP basis set. These species are predicted to prefer low spin ground state, i.e., singlet (for even electron) and doublet (for odd electron) systems. In terms of growth mechanism, a compact structure with one Nb encapsulated by a cage formed from five and six triangles is found to be favored over an icosahedral evolution. Unlike many 3d metals, whose volumes are much smaller, 13 and 19 Nb atoms clusters do not exist as icosahedra and double-icosahedra. A distinct case is Nb(15) as it bears a slightly distorted bcc structure. For some systems, several lower lying isomers are computed to be so close in energy that DFT computations cannot clearly establish their ground electronic states. The existence of structural isomers with comparable energy content is established for Nb(n) species with n = 13, 18, 19, and 20 in both neutral and charged states. The vibrational (IR) spectra are also calculated. While the spectra of smaller systems are strongly dependent on addition or removal of an electron from the neutral, the spectra of the larger size clusters are mostly independent of the charged state. The neutrals and their corresponding ions usually have a quite similar IR pattern. Electron affinities (EA), ionization energies (IE), average binding energies, dissociation energies, and frontier orbital energy gaps are evaluated. The computed EAs and IEs are generally in fair agreement with experiment. The Nb(15) system is observed to be stable and it can form a highly symmetric structure in all charged states with both open and closed electron shells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pham Vu Nhat
- Department of Chemistry, University of Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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Alparone A. Density functional theory Raman spectra of cyclic selenium clusters Sen (n=5–12). COMPUT THEOR CHEM 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2012.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Nhat PV, Ngan VT, Tai TB, Nguyen MT. Reply to “Comment on ‘Electronic Structures, Vibrational and Thermochemical Properties of Neutral and Charged Niobium Clusters Nbn, n = 7–12’”. J Phys Chem A 2011; 115:14127-8. [DOI: 10.1021/jp210011a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pham Vu Nhat
- Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Chemistry, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam
| | - Vu Thi Ngan
- Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Truong Ba Tai
- Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Minh Tho Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology, Thu Duc, HoChiMinh City, Vietnam
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Fielicke A, Meijer G. Comment on "Electronic structures, vibrational and thermochemical properties of neutral and charged niobium clusters Nb(n), n = 7-12". J Phys Chem A 2011; 115:7869-70. [PMID: 21627123 DOI: 10.1021/jp2046323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Nhat PV, Nguyen MT. Trends in structural, electronic and energetic properties of bimetallic vanadium–gold clusters AunV with n = 1–14. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2011; 13:16254-64. [DOI: 10.1039/c1cp22078k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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