29Si MAS NMR studies of the spin-lattice relaxation time and bond-angle distribution in vitreous silica

Two-Dimensional Ultrathin Silica Films

Two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin silica films have the potential to reach technological importance in electronics and catalysis. Several well-defined 2D-silica structures have been synthesized so far. The silica bilayer represents a 2D material with SiO₂ stoichiometry. It consists of precisely two layers of tetrahedral [SiO₄] building blocks, corner connected via oxygen bridges, thus forming a self-saturated silicon dioxide sheet with a thickness of ∼0.5 nm. Inspired by recent successful preparations and characterizations of these 2D-silica model systems, scientists now can forge novel concepts for realistic systems, particularly by atomic-scale studies with the most powerful and advanced surface science techniques and density functional theory calculations. This Review provides a solid introduction to these recent developments, breakthroughs, and implications on ultrathin 2D-silica films, including their atomic/electronic structures, chemical modifications, atom/molecule adsorptions, and catalytic reactivity properties, which can help to stimulate further investigations and understandings of these fundamentally important 2D materials.

29Si Solid-State NMR Analysis of Opal-AG, Opal-AN and Opal-CT: Single Pulse Spectroscopy and Spin-Lattice T1 Relaxometry

Single pulse, solid-state 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy offers an additional method of characterisation of opal-A and opal-CT through spin-lattice (T1) relaxometry. Opal T1 relaxation is characterised by stretched exponential (Weibull) function represented by scale (speed of relaxation) and shape (form of the curve) parameters. Relaxation is at least an order of magnitude faster than for silica glass and quartz, with Q3 (silanol) usually faster than Q4 (fully substituted silicates). 95% relaxation (Q4) is achieved for some Australian seam opals after 50 s though other samples of opal-AG may take 4000 s, while some figures for opal-AN are over 10,000 s. Enhancement is probably mostly due to the presence of water/silanol though the presence of paramagnetic metal ions and molecular motion may also contribute. Shape factors for opal-AG (0.5) and opal-AN (0.7) are significantly different, consistent with varying water and silanol environments, possibly reflecting differences in formation conditions. Opal-CT samples show a trend of shape factors from 0.45 to 0.75 correlated to relaxation rate. Peak position, scale and shape parameter, and Q3 to Q4 ratios offer further differentiating feature to separate opal-AG and opal-AN from other forms of opaline silica. T1 relaxation measurement may have a role for provenance verification. In addition, definitively determined Q3 / Q4 ratios are in the range 0.1 to 0.4 for opal-AG but considerably lower for opal-AN and opal-CT.

Specific Interactions of Neutral Side Chains of an Adsorbed Protein with the Surface of α-Quartz and Silica Gel

Many key features of the protein adsorption on the silica surfaces still remain unraveled. One of the open questions is the interaction of nonpolar side chains with siloxane cavities. Here, we use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations for the detailed investigation of the binding of several hydrophobic and amphiphilic protein side chains with silica surface. These interactions were found to be a possible driving force for protein adsorption. The free energy gain was larger for the disordered surface of amorphous silica gel as compared to α-quartz, but the impact depended on the type of amino acid. The dependence was analyzed from the structural point of view. For every amino acid an enthalpy-entropy compensation behavior was observed. These results confirm a hypothesis of an essential role of hydrophobic interactions in protein unfolding and irreversible adsorption on the silica surface.

Ultrathin silica films on metals: the long and winding road to understanding the atomic structure

This paper critically reviews the experimental and theoretical studies on the growth of ultrathin silica films onto metal single crystal substrates reported to date. The silica films on Mo(112) and Ru(0001) are discussed in more detail to demonstrate the key roles of the multi-technique approach and interplay between experiment and theory in the quest for understanding the atomic structure of the films. The results show the structural complexity and diversity of silica overlayers on metals, providing further information towards our understanding of the atomic structure, structural dynamics and physical and chemical properties of silica and related materials.

Contribution of first-principles calculations to multinuclear NMR analysis of borosilicate glasses

Boron-11 and silicon-29 NMR spectra of xSiO(2)-(1-x)B(2)O(3) glasses (x=0.40, 0.80 and 0.83) have been calculated using a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of NMR parameters. Structure models of 200 atoms have been generated using classical force fields and subsequently relaxed at the PBE-GGAlevel of DFT theory. The gauge including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) method is then employed for computing the shielding and electric field gradient tensors for each silicon and boron atom. Silicon-29 MAS and boron-11 MQMAS NMR spectra of two glasses (x=0.40 and 0.80) have been acquired and theoretical spectra are found to well agree with the experimental data. For boron-11, the NMR parameter distributions have been analysed using a Kernel density estimation (KDE) approach which is shown to highlight its main features. Accordingly, a new analytical model that incorporates the observed correlations between the NMR parameters is introduced. It significantly improves the fit of the (11)B MQMAS spectra and yields, therefore, more reliable NMR parameter distributions. A new analytical model for a quantitative description of the dependence of the silicon-29 and boron-11 isotropic chemical shift upon the bond angles is proposed, which incorporates possibly the effect of SiO(2)-B(2)O(3) intermixing. Combining all the above procedures, we show how distributions of Si-O-T and B-O-T (T=Si, B) bond angles can be estimated from the distribution of isotropic chemical shift of silicon-29 and boron-11, respectively.

Deconvolution of 29Si magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of silicate glasses revisited--some critical comments

It is common practice to quantify 29Si magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectra of silicate glasses by using lineshape fitting routines based on Gaussian distribution functions. This procedure depends on several -implicit -assumptions. In this contribution we have addressed and questioned these underlying assumptions. Also "goodness-of-fit" criteria and experimental considerations ("goodness-of-data") have been discussed. Some illustrative practical examples (silica glass, binary Na2O-SiO2 glasses with different Na:Si ratio) are given.

Quantification of the disorder in network-modified silicate glasses

Local order in silicate glasses has been observed by many experimental techniques to be similar to that in crystalline materials. Details of the intermediate-range order are more elusive, but essential for understanding the lack of long-range symmetry in glasses and the effect of composition on glass structure. Two-dimensional 17O dynamic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance experiments reveal intermediate-range order in the distribution of inter-tetrahedral (Si-O-Si) bond angles and a high degree of order in the disposition of oxygen atoms around the network-modifying cations.