Ion Partitioning at the Liquid/Vapor Interface of a Multicomponent Alkali Halide Solution: A Model for Aqueous Sea Salt Aerosols

Core-Level Photoelectron Angular Distributions at the Liquid-Vapor Interface

ConspectusPhotoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is a powerful tool for the investigation of liquid-vapor interfaces, with applications in many fields from environmental chemistry to fundamental physics. Among the aspects that have been addressed with PES is the question of how molecules and ions arrange and distribute themselves within the interface, that is, the first few nanometers into solution. This information is of crucial importance, for instance, for atmospheric chemistry, to determine which species are exposed in what concentration to the gas-phase environment. Other topics of interest include the surface propensity of surfactants, their tendency for orientation and self-assembly, as well as ion double layers beneath the liquid-vapor interface. The chemical specificity and surface sensitivity of PES make it in principle well suited for this endeavor. Ideally, one would want to access complete atomic-density distributions along the surface normal, which, however, is difficult to achieve experimentally for reasons to be outlined in this Account. A major complication is the lack of accurate information on electron transport and scattering properties, especially in the kinetic-energy regime below 100 eV, a pre-requisite to retrieving the depth information contained in photoelectron signals.In this Account, we discuss the measurement of the photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) as a way to obtain depth information. Photoelectrons scatter with a certain probability when moving through the bulk liquid before being expelled into a vacuum. Elastic scattering changes the electron direction without a change in the electron kinetic energy, in contrast to inelastic scattering. Random elastic-scattering events usually lead to a reduction of the measured anisotropy as compared to the initial, that is, nascent PAD. This effect that would be considered parasitic when attempting to retrieve information on photoionization dynamics from nascent liquid-phase PADs can be turned into a powerful tool to access information on elastic scattering, and hence probing depth, by measuring core-level PADs. Core-level PADs are relatively unaffected by effects other than elastic scattering, such as orbital character changes due to solvation. By comparing a molecule's gas-phase angular anisotropy, assumed to represent the nascent PAD, with its liquid-phase anisotropy, one can estimate the magnitude of elastic versus inelastic scattering experienced by photoelectrons on their way to the surface from the site at which they were generated. Scattering events increase with increasing depth into solution, and thus it is possible to correlate the observed reduction in angular anisotropy with the depth below the surface along the surface normal.We will showcase this approach for a few examples. In particular, our recent works on surfactant molecules demonstrated that one can indeed probe atomic distances within these molecules with a high sensitivity of ∼1 Å resolution along the surface normal. We were also able to show that the anisotropy reduction scales linearly with the distance along the surface normal within certain limits. The limits and prospects of this technique are discussed at the end, with a focus on possible future applications, including depth profiling at solid-vapor interfaces.

Solvent and cosolute dependence of Mg surface enrichment in submicron aerosol particles

The formation of multicomponent aerosol particles from precursor solution droplets often involves segregation and surface enrichment of the different solutes, resulting in non-homogeneous particle structures and diverse morphologies. In particular, these effects can have a significant influence on the chemical composition of the particle-vapor interface. In this work, we investigate the bulk/surface partitioning of inorganic ions, Na+, Mg2 +, Ca2 +, Cl- and Br-, in atomiser-generated submicron aerosols using synchrotron radiation based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Specifically, the chemical compositions of the outermost few nm thick surface layers of non-supported MgCl2/CaCl2 and NaBr/MgBr2 particles are determined. It is found that in MgCl2/CaCl2 particles, the relative abundance of the two species in the particle surface correlates well with their mixing ratio in the parent aqueous solution. In stark contrast, extreme surface enrichment of Mg2 + is observed in NaBr/MgBr2 particles formed from both aqueous and organic solution droplets, indicative of core-shell structures. Structural properties and hydration state of the particles are discussed.

Impact of Tetrabutylammonium on the Oxidation of Bromide by Ozone

The reaction of ozone with sea-salt derived bromide is relevant for marine boundary layer atmospheric chemistry. The oxidation of bromide by ozone is enhanced at aqueous interfaces. Ocean surface water and sea spray aerosol are enriched in organic compounds, which may also have a significant effect on this reaction at the interface. Here, we assess the surface propensity of cationic tetrabutylammonium at the aqueous liquid-vapor interface by liquid microjet X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the effect of this surfactant on ozone uptake to aqueous bromide solutions. The results clearly indicate that the positively charged nitrogen group in tetrabutylammonium (TBA), along with its surface activity, leads to an enhanced interfacial concentration of both bromide and the bromide ozonide reaction intermediate. In parallel, off-line kinetic experiments for the same system demonstrate a strongly enhanced ozone loss rate in the presence of TBA, which is attributed to an enhanced surface reaction rate. We used liquid jet XPS to obtain detailed chemical composition information from the aqueous-solution-vapor interface of mixed aqueous solutions containing bromide or bromide and chloride with and without TBA surfactant. Core level spectra of Br 3d, C 1s, Cl 2p, N 1s, and O 1s were used for this comparison. A model was developed to account for the attenuation of photoelectrons by the carbon-rich layer established by the TBA surfactant. We observed that the interfacial density of bromide is increased by an order of magnitude in solutions with TBA. The salting-out of TBA in the presence of 0.55 M sodium chloride is apparent. The increased interfacial bromide density can be rationalized by the association constants for bromide and chloride to form ion-pairs with TBA. Still, the interfacial reactivity is not increasing simply proportionally with the increasing interfacial bromide concentration in response to the presence of TBA. The steady state concentration of the bromide ozonide intermediate increases by a smaller degree, and the lifetime of the intermediate is 1 order of magnitude longer in the presence of TBA. Thus, the influence of cationic surfactants on the reactivity of bromide depends on the details of the complex environment at the interface.

Core level photoelectron spectroscopy of heterogeneous reactions at liquid-vapor interfaces: Current status, challenges, and prospects

Liquid-vapor interfaces, particularly those between aqueous solutions and air, drive numerous important chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere and in the environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is an excellent method for the investigation of these interfaces due to its surface sensitivity, elemental and chemical specificity, and the possibility to obtain information on the depth distribution of solute and solvent species in the interfacial region. In this Perspective, we review the progress that was made in this field over the past decades and discuss the challenges that need to be overcome for investigations of heterogeneous reactions at liquid-vapor interfaces under close-to-realistic environmental conditions. We close with an outlook on where some of the most exciting and promising developments might lie in this field.

Surface Propensity of Aqueous Atmospheric Bromine at the Liquid-Gas Interface

Multiphase reactions of halide ions in aqueous solutions exposed to the atmosphere initiate the formation of molecular halogen compounds in the gas phase. Their photolysis leads to halogen atoms, which are catalytic sinks for ozone, making these processes relevant for the regional and global tropospheric ozone budget. The affinity of halide ions in aqueous solution for the liquid-gas interface, which may influence their reactivity with gaseous species, has been debated. Our study focuses on the surface properties of the bromide ion and its oxidation products. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy carried out on a liquid jet combined with classical and first-principles molecular dynamics calculations was used to investigate the interfacial depth profile of bromide, hypobromite, hypobromous acid, and bromate. The simulated core electron binding energies support the experimentally observed values, which follow a correlation with bromine oxidation state for the anion series. Bromide ions are homogeneously distributed in the solution. Hypobromous acid, a key species in the multiphase cycling of bromine, is the only species showing surface propensity, which suggests a more important role of the interface in multiphase bromine chemistry than thought so far.

A kinetic model for ozone uptake by solutions and aqueous particles containing I- and Br-, including seawater and sea-salt aerosol

The heterogeneous interactions of gaseous ozone (O3) with seawater and with sea-salt aerosols are known to generate volatile halogen species, which, in turn, lead to further destruction of O3. Here, a kinetic model for the interaction of ozone (O3) with Br- and I- solutions and aqueous particles has been proposed that satisfactorily explains previous literature studies about this process. Apart from the aqueous-phase reactions X- + O3 (X = I, Br), the interaction also involves the surface reactions X- + O3 that occur via O3 adsorption on the aqueous surface. In single salt solutions and aerosols, the partial order in ozone and the total order of the surface reactions are one, but the apparent total order is second order because the number of ozone sites where reaction can occur is equal to the surficial concentration of X- ([X-]surf). In the presence of Cl-, the surface reactions are enhanced by a factor equal to , where and . Therefore, we have inferred that Cl- acts as a catalyst in the surface reactions X- + O3. The model has been applied to estimate ozone uptake by the reaction with these halides in/on seawater and in/on sea-salt aerosol, where it has been concluded that the Cl--catalyzed surface reaction is important relative to total ozone uptake and should therefore be considered to model Y/YO (Y = I, Br, Cl) levels in the troposphere.

The opposing effect of butanol and butyric acid on the abundance of bromide and iodide at the aqueous solution-air interface

The efficient oxidation of iodide and bromide at the aqueous solution-air interface of the ocean or of sea spray aerosol particles had been suggested to be related to their surface propensity. The ubiquitous presence of organic material at the ocean surface calls for an assessment of the impact of often surface-active organic compounds on the interfacial density of halide ions. We used in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with a liquid micro-jet to obtain chemical composition information at aqueous solution-vapor interfaces from mixed aqueous solutions containing bromide or iodide and 1-butanol or butyric acid as organic surfactants. Core level spectra of Br 3d, Na 2s, C 1s and O 1s at ca. 160 eV kinetic energy and core level spectra of I 4d and O 1s at ca. 400 eV kinetic energy are compared for solutions with 1-butanol and butyric acid as a function of organic concentration. A simple model was developed to account for the attenuation of photoelectrons by the aliphatic carbon layer of the surfactants and for changing local density of bromide and iodide in response to the presence of the surfactants. We observed that 1-butanol increases the interfacial density of bromide by 25%, while butyric acid reduces it by 40%, both in comparison to the pure aqueous halide solution. Qualitatively similar behavior was observed for the case of iodide. Classical molecular dynamics simulations failed to reproduce the details of the response of the halide ions to the presence of the two organics. This is attributed to the lack of correct monovalent ion parameters at low concentration possibly leading to an overestimation of the halide ion concentration at the interface in absence of organics. The results clearly demonstrate that organic surfactants change the electrostatic interactions near the interface with headgroup specific effects. This has implications for halogen activation processes specifically when oxidants interact with halide ions at the aqueous solution-air interfaces of the ocean surface or sea spray aerosol particles.

Quantitative ionization energies and work functions of aqueous solutions

Despite the ubiquitous nature of aqueous solutions across the chemical, biological and environmental sciences our experimental understanding of their electronic structure is rudimentary-qualitative at best. One of the most basic and seemingly straightforward properties of aqueous solutions-ionization energies-are (qualitatively) tabulated at the water-air interface for a mere handful of solutes, and the manner in which these results are obtained assume the aqueous solutions behave like a gas in the photoelectron experiment (where the vacuum levels of the aqueous solution and of the photoelectron analyzer are equilibrated). Here we report the experimental measure of a sizeable offset (ca. 0.6 eV) between the vacuum levels of an aqueous solution (0.05 M NaCl) and that of our photoelectron analyzer, indicating a breakdown of the gas-like vacuum level alignment assumption for the aqueous solution. By quantifying the vacuum level offset as a function of solution chemical composition our measurements enable, for the first time, quantitative determination of ionization energies in liquid solutions. These results reveal that the ionization energy of liquid water is not independent of the chemical composition of the solution as is usually inferred in the literature, a finding that has important ramifications as measured ionization energies are frequently used to validate theoretical models that posses the ability to provide microscopic insight not directly available by experiment. Finally, we derive the work function, or the electrochemical potential of the aqueous solution and show that it too varies with the chemical composition of the solution.

Surface Tension of Acid Solutions: Fluctuations beyond the Nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann Theory

We extend our previous study of surface tension of ionic solutions and apply it to acids (and salts) with strong ion-surface interactions, as described by a single adhesivity parameter for the ionic species interacting with the interface. We derive the appropriate nonlinear boundary condition with an effective surface charge due to the adsorption of ions from the bulk onto the interface. The calculation is done using the loop-expansion technique, where the zero loop (mean field) corresponds of the full nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The surface tension is obtained analytically to one-loop order, where the mean-field contribution is a modification of the Poisson-Boltzmann surface tension and the one-loop contribution gives a generalization of the Onsager-Samaras result. Adhesivity significantly affects both contributions to the surface tension, as can be seen from the dependence of surface tension on salt concentration for strongly absorbing ions. Comparison with available experimental data on a wide range of different acids and salts allows the fitting of the adhesivity parameter. In addition, it identifies the regime(s) where the hypotheses on which the theory is based are outside their range of validity.

Quantitative interpretation of molecular dynamics simulations for X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of aqueous solutions

Over the past decade, energy-dependent ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) has emerged as a powerful analytical probe of the ion spatial distributions at the vapor (vacuum)-aqueous electrolyteinterface. These experiments are often paired with complementary molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in an attempt to provide a complete description of the liquidinterface. There is, however, no systematic protocol that permits a straightforward comparison of the two sets of results. XPS is an integrated technique that averages signals from multiple layers in a solution even at the lowest photoelectron kinetic energies routinely employed, whereas MD simulations provide a microscopic layer-by-layer description of the solution composition near the interface. Here, we use the National Institute of Standards and Technology database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA) to quantitatively interpret atom-density profiles from MD simulations for XPS signal intensities using sodium and potassium iodide solutions as examples. We show that electron inelastic mean free paths calculated from a semi-empirical formula depend strongly on solution composition, varying by up to 30% between pure water and concentrated NaI. The XPS signal thus arises from different information depths in different solutions for a fixed photoelectron kinetic energy. XPS signal intensities are calculated using SESSA as a function of photoelectron kinetic energy (probe depth) and compared with a widely employed ad hoc method. SESSA simulations illustrate the importance of accounting for elastic-scattering events at low photoelectron kinetic energies (<300 eV) where the ad hoc method systematically underestimates the preferential enhancement of anions over cations. Finally, some technical aspects of applying SESSA to liquidinterfaces are discussed.

Introductory lecture: atmospheric chemistry in the Anthropocene

The term “Anthropocene” was coined by Professor Paul Crutzen in 2000 to describe an unprecedented era in which anthropogenic activities are impacting planet Earth on a global scale. Greatly increased emissions into the atmosphere, reflecting the advent of the Industrial Revolution, have caused significant changes in both the lower and upper atmosphere. Atmospheric reactions of the anthropogenic emissions and of those with biogenic compounds have significant impacts on human health, visibility, climate and weather. Two activities that have had particularly large impacts on the troposphere are fossil fuel combustion and agriculture, both associated with a burgeoning population. Emissions are also changing due to alterations in land use. This paper describes some of the tropospheric chemistry associated with the Anthropocene, with emphasis on areas having large uncertainties. These include heterogeneous chemistry such as those of oxides of nitrogen and the neonicotinoid pesticides, reactions at liquid interfaces, organic oxidations and particle formation, the role of sulfur compounds in the Anthropocene and biogenic–anthropogenic interactions. A clear and quantitative understanding of the connections between emissions, reactions, deposition and atmospheric composition is central to developing appropriate cost-effective strategies for minimizing the impacts of anthropogenic activities. The evolving nature of emissions in the Anthropocene places atmospheric chemistry at the fulcrum of determining human health and welfare in the future.

Undistorted X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Using s-Core-Orbital Emissions

Detection of secondary emissions, fluorescence yield (FY), or electron yield (EY), originating from the relaxation processes upon X-ray resonant absorption has been widely adopted for X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements when the primary absorption process cannot be probed directly in transmission mode. Various spectral distortion effects inherent in the relaxation processes and in the subsequent transportation of emitted particles (electron or photon) through the sample, however, undermine the proportionality of the emission signals to the X-ray absorption coefficient. In the present study, multiple radiative (FY) and nonradiative (EY) decay channels have been experimentally investigated on a model system, FeCl3 aqueous solution, at the excitation energy of the Fe L-edge. The systematic comparisons between the experimental spectra taken from various decay channels, as well as the comparison with the theoretically simulated Fe L-edge XA spectrum that involves only the absorption process, indicate that the detection of the Fe 3s → 2p partial fluorescence yield (PFY) gives rise to the true Fe L-edge XA spectrum. The two key characteristics generalized from this particular decay channel-zero orbital angular momentum (i.e., s orbital) and core-level emission-set a guideline for obtaining undistorted X-ray absorption spectra in the future.

Insights into hydrogen bonding via ice interfaces and isolated water

Water in a confined environment has a combination of fewer available configurations and restricted mobility. Both affect the spectroscopic signature. In this work, the spectroscopic signature of water in confined environments is discussed in the context of competing models for condensed water: (1) as a system of intramolecular coupled molecules or (2) as a network with intermolecular dipole-dipole coupled O-H stretches. Two distinct environments are used: the confined asymmetric environment at the ice surface and the near-isolated environment of water in an infrared transparent matrix. Both the spectroscopy and the environment are described followed by a perspective discussion of implications for the two competing models. Despite being a small molecule, water is relatively complex; perhaps not surprisingly the results support a model that blends inter- and intramolecular coupling. The frequency, and therefore the hydrogen-bond strength, appears to be a function of donor-acceptor interaction and of longer-range dipole-dipole alignment in the hydrogen-bonded network. The O-H dipole direction depends on the local environment and reflects intramolecular O-H stretch coupling.

In situ mass spectrometric detection of interfacial intermediates in the oxidation of RCOOH(aq) by gas-phase OH-radicals

Products and intermediates of the oxidation of aqueous alkanoic acids initiated by gas-phase hydroxyl radicals, ·OH(g), at the air-water interface were detected by mass spectrometry in a novel setup under various experimental conditions. Exposure of submillimolar RCOOH (R = methyl, n-pentyl, n-heptyl) aqueous microjets to ∼10 ns ·OH(g) pulses from the 266 nm laser flash photolysis of O3(g)/O2(g)/H2O(g) mixtures yielded an array of interfacial species that were unambiguously and simultaneously identified in situ by online electrospray mass spectrometry. We found that peroxyl radicals R(-H)(COO(-))OO· react within 50 μs to produce alcohols R(-H)(COO(-))OH and carbonyls R(-2H)(COO(-))═O via competitive Russell and Bennett-Summers mechanisms. We confirmed the formation of hydroperoxides R(-H)(COO(-))OOH in experiments performed in D2O. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the prompt and simultaneous detection of products and peroxyl/peroxide intermediates in the heterogeneous oxidation of aqueous organics initiated by ·OH(g).

Spherical monovalent ions at aqueous liquid-vapor interfaces: interfacial stability and induced interface fluctuations

Ion-specific interfacial behaviors of monovalent halides impact processes such as protein denaturation, interfacial stability, and surface tension modulation, and as such, their molecular and thermodynamic underpinnings garner much attention. We use molecular dynamics simulations of monovalent anions in water to explore effects on distant interfaces. We observe long-ranged ion-induced perturbations of the aqueous environment, as suggested by experiment and theory. Surface stable ions, characterized as such by minima in potentials of mean force computed using umbrella sampling MD simulations, induce larger interfacial fluctuations compared to nonsurface active species, conferring more entropy approaching the interface. Smaller anions and cations show no interfacial potential of mean force minima. The difference is traced to hydration shell properties of the anions, and the coupling of these shells with distant solvent. The effects correlate with the positions of the anions in the Hofmeister series (acknowledging variations in force field ability to recapitulate essential underlying physics), suggesting how differences in induced, nonlocal perturbations of interfaces may be related to different specific-ion effects in dilute biophysical and nanomaterial systems.

Thermodynamics of iodide adsorption at the instantaneous air-water interface

We performed molecular dynamics simulations using both polarizable and non-polarizable force fields to study the adsorption of iodide to the air-water interface. A novel aspect of our analysis is that the progress of ion adsorption is measured as the distance from the instantaneous interface, which is defined by a coarse-graining scheme proposed recently by Willard and Chandler ["Instantaneous liquid interfaces," J. Phys. Chem. B 114, 1954-1958 (2010)]. Referring structural and thermodynamic quantities to the instantaneous interface unmasks molecular-scale details that are obscured by thermal fluctuations when the same quantities are referred to an average measure of the position of the interface, such as the Gibbs dividing surface. Our results suggest that an ion adsorbed at the interface resides primarily in the topmost water layer, and the interfacial location of the ion is favored by enthalpy and opposed by entropy.

A new endstation at the Swiss Light Source for ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements of liquid solutions

A new liquid microjet endstation designed for ultraviolet (UPS) and X-ray (XPS) photoelectron, and partial electron yield X-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopies at the Swiss Light Source is presented. The new endstation, which is based on a Scienta HiPP-2 R4000 electron spectrometer, is the first liquid microjet endstation capable of operating in vacuum and in ambient pressures up to the equilibrium vapor pressure of liquid water at room temperature. In addition, the Scienta HiPP-2 R4000 energy analyzer of this new endstation allows for XPS measurements up to 7000 eV electron kinetic energy that will enable electronic structure measurements of bulk solutions and buried interfaces from liquid microjet samples. The endstation is designed to operate at the soft X-ray SIM beamline and at the tender X-ray Phoenix beamline. The endstation can also be operated using a Scienta 5 K ultraviolet helium lamp for dedicated UPS measurements at the vapor-liquid interface using either He I or He II α lines. The design concept, first results from UPS, soft X-ray XPS, and partial electron yield XAS measurements, and an outlook to the potential of this endstation are presented.

Long-range Hofmeister effects of anionic and cationic amphiphiles

Specific ion effects at aqueous interfaces play key roles in many important phenomena. We recently reported that ions interact specifically over unexpectedly long distances on the surface of sub-micromolar electrolyte solutions (Enami et al. J. Chem. Phys. 2012, 136, 154707). Whether the anionic and cationic headgroups of the organic amphiphiles present at most water/hydrophobe interfaces act similarly or display new behaviors, however, is not known. Here we report the results of experiments in which we apply online electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to investigate how carboxylate, RCOO(-) (R = CH3, C5H11, C7H15), and alkylammonium, R'(CH3)3N(+) (R' = CH3, C14H29), ions affect the ratio χ = I(-)/Br(-) at the aerial interface of 1 μM (NaI + NaBr) aqueous solutions. We found that χ is systematically but selectively depressed by these ionic amphiphiles and minimally affected by the neutral surfactant 1-octanol. The depressing effects induced by cationic headgroups are stronger than those caused by anionic surfactants and always increase with the length of the alkyl chains.

From Conventional to Phase-Sensitive Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy: Probing Water Organization at Aqueous Interfaces

Elucidation of water organization at aqueous interfaces has remained a challenging problem. Conventional vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy and its most recent extension, phase-sensitive VSFG (PS-VSFG), have emerged as powerful experimental methods for unraveling structural information at various aqueous interfaces. In this Perspective, we briefly describe the two possible VSFG detection modes, and we point out features that make these methods highly suited to address questions about water organization at air/aqueous interfaces. Several important aqueous interfacial systems are discussed to illustrate the versatility of these methods. Remaining challenges and exciting prospective directions are also presented.

Solvation structures of iodide on and below a surface of aqueous solution studied by photodetachment spectroscopy

We investigated solvation structures of I(-) on and below a surface of an aqueous solution by photodetachment spectroscopy. An aqueous solution of an alkali halide was introduced to the vacuum as a continuous liquid flow (liquid beam), and the liquid beam was irradiated with a UV laser pulse. The intensity of electrons emitted from the surface by the laser excitation was measured as a function of wavelength (photodetachment spectroscopy), and we obtained absorption spectrum of I(-) on and below the solution surface. From the absorption spectrum, we found that I(-) starts to appear on the solution surface as the bulk NaI concentration increases. Similar concentration dependence was observed for the KI solution. We also found that I(-) located inside the solution is pushed to the surface, when NaCl is added to the solution. These changes are explained in terms of the difference in the polarizability of halide ions.

Structure and dynamics of hydrated ion pairs in a hydrophobic environment

The structure, energetics, and dynamics of different alkali halide ion pairs hydrated in a hydrophobic medium are studied using molecular dynamics computer simulations. One or two water molecules hydrating NaCl, NaI, KCl, KI, and KF in bulk carbon tetrachloride are considered. The ion pairs remain in contact throughout the simulations, so the structure of the hydration complex is well characterized. The ions' interaction energy and hydration structure are examined and correlated with the ion sizes and charges. For the first four salts, the stronger interaction of the water molecules with the cation than with the anion of the ion pair is in agreement with recent experiments. However, when the anion is significantly smaller than the cation (as in the case of KF, which was not studied experimentally), the opposite behavior is found. The asymmetry of interaction with the cation and the anion are further elucidated by examining hypothetical ion pairs made from equal-sized cations and anions and by defining an asymmetry hydration parameter, which is found to correlate well with the structural characteristics, as well as with the water molecules' reorientation dynamics.

The influence of concentration on the molecular surface structure of simple and mixed aqueous electrolytes

We investigate various mechanisms contributing to the surface ion distributions in simple and mixed aqueous alkali-halide solutions depending on the total salt concentration, using a combination of photoelectron spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. In simple solutions, the surface enhancement of large polarizable anions is reduced with increasing concentration. In the case of a NaBr/NaCl mixed aqueous solution, with bromide as the minority component, the situation is more complex. While the total anion/cation charge separation is similarly reduced with increasing salt content, this alone does not uniquely determine the ion distribution due to the co-existence of two different anions, Br(-) and Cl(-). We show that bromide is selectively surface enhanced at higher concentrations, despite the fact that the total anion surface enhancement is reduced. This phenomenon, which can be viewed as "salting out" of bromide by NaCl might have consequences for our understanding of the surface structure of mixed aqueous solutions subjected to concentration increase due to dehydration, such as seawater-born aerosols.

Interfacial behavior of perchlorate versus chloride ions in aqueous solutions

In recent years, theoretical as well as experimental studies have presented a novel view of the aqueous interface, wherein hard and/or multiply charged ions are excluded from the interface but large polarizable anions show interfacial enhancement relative to the bulk. The observed trend in the propensity of anions to adsorb at the air/water interface appears to follow an inverse order of the Hofmeister series for anions. This study focuses on experimental and theoretical examination of the partitioning behavior of perchlorate (ClO(4)(-)) and chloride (Cl(-)) ions at the air/water interface. We have used ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to directly probe the interfacial concentrations of ClO(4)(-) and Cl(-) ions in sodium perchlorate and sodium chloride solutions, respectively. In the case of ClO(4)(-) ion, experimental observations are compared with molecular dynamics simulations utilizing both first principles based interaction potentials as well as polarizable classical force fields. Both the experimental and the theoretical results show enhancement of ClO(4)(-) ion at the interface, compared with the absence of such enhancement in the case of the Cl(-) ion. Our observations are in agreement with the expected trend in the interfacial propensity of anions based on the Hofmeister series.

Gas-liquid interface of room-temperature ionic liquids

The organization of ions at the interface of ionic liquids and the vacuum is an ideal system to test new ideas and concepts on the interfacial chemistry of electrolyte systems in the limit of no solvent medium. Whilst electrolyte systems have numerous theoretical and experimental methods used to investigate their properties, the ionic liquids are relatively new and our understanding of the interfacial properties is just beginning to be explored. In this critical review, the gas-liquid interface is reviewed, as this interface does not depend on the preparation of another medium and thus produces a natural interface. The interface has been investigated by sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy and ultra-high vacuum techniques. The results provide a detailed molecular-level view of the surface composition and structure. These have been complemented by theoretical studies. The combinations of treatments on this interface are starting to provide a somewhat convergent description of how the ions are organized at this neat interface (108 references).