On the Statistical Mechanics of Mass Accommodation at Liquid-Vapor Interfaces

We propose a framework for describing the dynamics associated with the adsorption of small molecules to liquid-vapor interfaces using an intermediate resolution between traditional continuum theories that are bereft of molecular detail and molecular dynamics simulations that are replete with them. In particular, we develop an effective single particle equation of motion capable of describing the physical processes that determine thermal and mass accommodation probabilities. The effective equation is parametrized with quantities that vary through space away from the liquid-vapor interface. Of particular importance in describing the early time dynamics is the spatially dependent friction, for which we propose a numerical scheme to evaluate from molecular simulation. Taken together with potentials of mean force computable with importance sampling methods, we illustrate how to compute the mass accommodation coefficient and residence time distribution. Throughout, we highlight the case of ozone adsorption in aqueous solutions and its dependence on electrolyte composition.

Theoretical Study on the Spectroscopic Properties and Photodissociation Mechanism of Dibromocarbene

Detailed calculations on the electronic states of dibromocarbene (CBr2) herein are presented. First, the spectroscopic properties of the electronic states including geometry parameters, harmonic vibrational frequencies and transition energies of the lowest electronic states of the neutral radical were calculated in detail using the internally contracted multireference configuration interaction methods including Davidson correction (icMRCI+Q) with correlation consistent basis sets of aug-cc-pVXZ (X = T, Q, 5). Second, as CBr2 including two Br atoms, the Spin-Orbit Coupling (SOC) effect on the spectroscopic parameters and the one-dimensional cuts of the potential energy surface (PESs) of the lowest three states were studied. The barrier to linearity and dissociation of the singlet state were discussed. Third, the one-dimensional cuts along with the vertical transition energy (VTE), the oscillator strength, and so on of the electronic states related to the several lowest dissociation limits of CBr2 were calculated at the icMRCI+Q/aug-cc-pVTZ level. Based on the computed results of the electronic states of the radical, the photodissociation mechanism in the UV region were discussed in detail. The ab initio calculations are compared with the previous theoretical and experimental data and are in good agreement. The present work will provide a comprehensive understanding on the electronic structures and dissociation dynamics for the electronic states of the CBr2 radical.

Neural network potential energy surfaces and dipole moment surfaces for SO2(H2O) and SO2(H2O)2 complexes

Full-dimensional, ab initio-based many-body potential energy surfaces and dipole moment surfaces constructed using the neural network method for SO2(H2O)n (n = 1,2) complexes are reported. The database of the SO2 1-body PES, SO2(H2O) 2-body PES and SO2(H2O)2 3-body PES consists of 11 952, 79 882 and 84 159 ab initio energies, respectively. All 1-body energies were calculated at the CCSD(T)/CBS(AVTZ:AVQZ) level and all 2,3-body energies were calculated at the DSD-PBEP86/AVTZ level. The database of DMSs is the same as that of PESs and all dipole moments were calculated at the MP2/AVTZ level. Harmonic frequencies and dissociation energies of SO2(H2O) and SO2(H2O)2 were calculated on these PESs and compared with ab initio results to examine the fidelity of these PESs.

The merit of pressure dependent kinetic modelling in steam cracking

Renewable cracking feedstocks from plastic waste and the need for novel reactor designs related to electrification of steam crackers drives the development of accurate and fundamental kinetic models for this process, despite its large scale implementation for more than half a century. Pressure dependent kinetics have mostly been omitted in fundamental steam cracking models, while they are crucial in combustion models. Therefore, we have assessed the importance of pressure dependent kinetics for steam cracking via in-depth modelling and experimental studies. In particular we have studied the influence of considering fall-off on the product yields for ethane and propane steam cracking. A high-pressure limit fundamental kinetic model is generated, based on quantum chemical data and group additive values, and supplemented with literature values for pressure dependent kinetic parameters for β-scission reactions and homolytic bond scissions of C₂ and C₃ species. Model simulations with high-pressure limit rate coefficients and pressure dependent kinetics are compared to new experimental measurements. Steam cracking experiments for pure ethane and propane feeds are performed on a tubular bench-scale reactor at 0.17 MPa and temperatures ranging from 1058 to 1178 K. All important product species are identified using a comprehensive GC × GC-FID/q-MS. For homolytic bond scissions, the inclusion of pressure dependent kinetics has a significant effect on the conversion profile for ethane steam cracking. On the other hand, pressure dependence of C₂ β-scissions significantly influences conversion and product species profiles for both ethane and propane steam cracking. The C₃ β-scissions pressure dependence has a negligible effect in ethane steam cracking, while for propane steam cracking the effect is non-negligible on the product species profiles.

Uptake of Hg0(g) on TiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 Nanoparticles: Importance in Atmospheric Chemical and Physical Processes

Mineral dust aerosols play an important role in tropospheric chemistry and aerosol-cloud interaction processes. Yet, their interactions with gaseous elemental mercury (Hg⁰_(g)) are not currently well understood. Using a coated-wall flow tube (CWFT) reactor, we measured the uptake of Hg⁰_(g) on some common components of mineral dust aerosols, including TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₂O₃, and the effects of irradiation (dark, visible and UV-A) and relative humidity (<2% to 60%) on the uptake kinetics. Under UV-A irradiation (320-400 nm) in dry air, we measured uptake coefficients (γ) equal to >1 × 10^-3 and (3 ± 1) × 10^-6 on TiO₂ and Al₂O₃, respectively. Under visible light irradiation (380-700 nm), Hg⁰_(g) uptake was only observed on TiO₂, with γ = (4 ± 3) × 10^-4. Raising the relative humidity inhibited the uptake on both TiO₂ and Al₂O₃, and the uptake coefficient at 60% RH for TiO₂ under UV-A irradiation was lower by ca. 3 orders of magnitude than dry conditions. Furthermore, we observed that water vapor induced the desorption of two distinct fractions from Hg-exposed surfaces via the displacement of weakly, physisorbed Hg and the photocatalyzed reduction of chemisorbed Hg. Based on the uptake coefficients from this report, we estimate that heterogeneous interactions with mineral dust may be significant under conditions with low relative humidity (<30%) and high dust loading masses. We herein discuss the implication of this study on understanding the life cycle analysis of atmospheric mercury in nature.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Stepwise Hydration Motifs of Sulfur Dioxide

Experimental characterization of microscopic events and behaviors of SO₂-H₂O interactions is crucial to understanding SO₂ atmospheric chemistry but has been proven to be very challenging due to the difficulty in size selection. Here, size-dependent development of SO₂ hydrate structure and cluster growth in the SO₂(H₂O)_n (n = 1-16) complexes was probed by infrared spectroscopy based on threshold photoionization using a tunable vacuum ultraviolet free electron laser. Spectral changes with cluster size demonstrate that the sandwich structure initially formed at n = 1 develops into cycle structures with the sulfur and oxygen atoms in a two-dimensional plane (n = 2 and 3) and then into three-dimensional cage structures (n ≥ 4). SO₂ is favorably bound to the surface of larger water clusters. These stepwise features of SO₂ hydration on various sized water clusters contribute to understanding the reactive sites and electrophilicity of SO₂ on cloud droplets, which may have important atmospheric implications for studying the SO₂-containing aerosol systems.

Theoretical investigations on the kinetics of Cl atom initiated reactions of series of 1-alkenes

The temperature-dependent rate coefficients were calculated for the reactions of Cl atoms with propene (R₁), 1-butene (R₂), 1-pentene (R₃), and 1-hexene (R₄) over the temperature range of 200-400 K. Canonical variational transition state theory (CVT) with small curvature tunneling (SCT) and conventional transition state theory (CTST) in combination with MP2/6-31G(d,p), MP2/6-31G+(d,p), and MP2/6-311 + G(d,p) level of theories were used to calculate the kinetic parameters. The obtained rate coefficients at 298 K for the reactions of Cl atoms with propene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, and 1-hexene are 1.36 × 10^-10 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, 1.53 × 10^-10 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, 4.61 × 10^-10 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, and 4.76 × 10^-10 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, respectively. In all these reactions, strong negative temperature dependence was observed over the studied temperature range. Cl atom addition across the double bond is the most dominant pathway. The contribution of abstraction channels towards their global rate coefficients was observed to be increasing from propene to 1-hexane. Atmospheric implications such as effective lifetimes and thermodynamic parameters of the test molecules were investigated in the present study.

Double imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence sheds new light on the dissociation of energy-selected CH3Cl+ ions

The dissociation mechanisms of CH₃Cl⁺ have been probed to be state-specific and the umbrella mode of the CH₃⁺ fragments is assigned.

Mass and elemental distributions of atmospheric particles nearby blast furnace and electric arc furnace operated industrial areas in Australia

The improved understanding of mass and elemental distributions of industrial air particles is important due to their heterogeneous atmospheric behaviour and impact on human health and the environment. In this study, particles of different size ranges were collected from three sites in Australia located in the vicinity of iron and steelmaking industries and one urban background site with very little industrial influence. In order to determine the importance of the type of industrial activity on the urban atmospheric quality, the industrial sites selected in this study were in the close proximity to two blast furnace operated and one electric arc furnace based steelmaking sites. The chemical compositions of the collected air particles were analysed using the proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. This study revealed significantly higher metal concentrations in the atmospheric particles collected in the industrial sites, comparing to the background urban site, demonstrating local influence of the industrial activities to the air quality. The modality types of the particles were found to be variable between the mass and elements, and among elements in the urban and industrial areas indicating that the elemental modal distribution is as important as particle mass for particle pollution modelling. The highest elemental number distribution at all studied sites occurred with particle size of 0.1 μm. Iron was found as the main dominant metal at the industrial atmosphere in each particle size range. The industrial Fe fraction in the submicron and ultrafine size particles was estimated at up to 95% which may be released from high temperature industrial activities with the iron and steelmaking industries being one of the major contributors. Hence, these industrial elemental loadings can highly influence the atmospheric pollution at local urban and regional levels and are required to consider in the atmospheric modelling settings.

Photofragmentation spectra of halogenated methanes in the VUV photon energy range

In this paper an investigation of the photofragmentation of dihalomethanes CH2X2 (X = F, Cl, Br, I) and chlorinated methanes (CH(n)Cl(4-n) with n = 0-3) with VUV helium, neon, and argon discharge lamps is reported and the role played by the different halogen atoms is discussed. Halogenated methanes are a class of molecules used in several fields of chemistry and the study of their physical and chemical proprieties is of fundamental interest. In particular their photodissociation and photoionization are of great importance since the decomposition of these compounds in the atmosphere strongly affects the environment. The results of the present work show that the halogen-loss is the predominant fragmentation channel for these molecules in the VUV photon energy range and confirm their role as reservoir of chlorine, bromine, and iodine atoms in the atmosphere. Moreover, the results highlight the peculiar feature of CH2F2 as a source of both fluorine and hydrogen atoms and the characteristic formation of I2(+) and CH2(+) ions from the photofragmentation of the CH2I2 molecule.

Assessment of theoretical methods for the study of hydrogen abstraction kinetics of global warming gas species during their degradation and byproduct formation (IUPAC Technical Report)

Global climate change is a major concern as it leads to an increase in the average temperature of the earth&rsquo;s atmosphere. The existence and persistence of some gaseous species in the atmosphere contribute to global warming. Experimental techniques are used to study the kinetics and degradation of global warming gases. However, quantum mechanical methods are also useful for the kinetic and radiative forcing study of global warming species and can precede experimental investigations. Research has also been targeted to develop more adapted procedures using ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. This report provides a global perspective, in simplified manner, of the theoretical studies of the degradation of gas species in the atmosphere with an emphasis on the hydrogen abstraction kinetics of global warming gas species during their degradation and byproduct formation. En route, the results obtained from these studies are analysed and compared with experimental data where available. Our analyses indicate that the theoretical predictions are in agreement with experimental findings but the predicted parameters are dependent on the method being used. Theoretical methods are used to predict the thermodynamic parameters of reactions, and, with relevance to this report, the global warming potential (GWP) index can also be calculated. This report can be useful for future investigations involving global warming gaseous species while providing suggestions on how computations can fill in data gaps when experimental data are unavailable.

Chemistry and Composition of Atmospheric Aerosol Particles

For more than two decades a cadre of physical chemists has focused on understanding the formation processes, chemical composition, and chemical kinetics of atmospheric aerosol particles and droplets with diameters ranging from a few nanometers to ∼10,000 nm. They have adapted or invented a range of fundamental experimental and theoretical tools to investigate the thermochemistry, mass transport, and chemical kinetics of processes occurring at nanoscale gas-liquid and gas-solid interfaces for a wide range of nonideal, real-world substances. State-of-the-art laboratory methods devised to study molecular spectroscopy, chemical kinetics, and molecular dynamics also have been incorporated into field measurement instruments that are deployed routinely on research aircraft, ships, and mobile laboratories as well as at field sites from megacities to the most remote jungle, desert, and polar locations. These instruments can now provide real-time, size-resolved aerosol particle physical property and chemical composition data anywhere in Earth's troposphere and lower stratosphere.

Heterogeneous uptake of NO2 on soils under variable temperature and relative humidity conditions

Heterogeneous reactions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on soils collected from Dalian (S1) and Changsha (S2) were investigated over the relative humidity (RH) range of 5%-80% and temperature range of 278-328 K using a horizontal coated-wall flow tube. The initial uptake coefficients of NO2 on S2 exhibited a decreasing trend from (10 +/- 1.3) x 10(-8) to (3.1 +/- 0.5) x 10(-8) with the relative humidity increasing from 5% to 80%. In the temperature effect studies, the initial uptake coefficients of S1 and S2 decreased from (10 +/- 1.2) x 10(-8) to (3.8 +/- 0.5) x 10(-8) and from (16 +/- 2.2) x 10(-8) to (3.8 +/- 0.4) x 10(-8) when temperature increased from 278 to 288 K for S1 and from 278 to 308 K for S2, respectively. As the temperature continued to increase, the initial uptake coefficients of S1 and S2 returned to (7.9 +/- 1.1) x 10(-8) and (20 +/- 3.1) x 10(-8) at 313 and 328 K, respectively. This study shows that relative humidity could influence the uptake kinetics of NO2 on soil and temperature would impact the heterogeneous chemistry of NO2.

Isocyanic acid in the atmosphere and its possible link to smoke-related health effects

We measured isocyanic acid (HNCO) in laboratory biomass fires at levels up to 600 parts per billion by volume (ppbv), demonstrating that it has a significant source from pyrolysis/combustion of biomass. We also measured HNCO at mixing ratios up to 200 pptv (parts-per-trillion by volume) in ambient air in urban Los Angeles, CA, and in Boulder, CO, during the recent 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire. Further, our measurements of aqueous solubility show that HNCO is highly soluble, as it dissociates at physiological pH. Exposure levels > 1 ppbv provide a direct source of isocyanic acid and cyanate ion (NCO(-)) to humans at levels that have recognized health effects: atherosclerosis, cataracts, and rheumatoid arthritis, through the mechanism of protein carbamylation. In addition to the wildland fire and urban sources, we observed HNCO in tobacco smoke, HNCO has been reported from the low-temperature combustion of coal, and as a by-product of urea-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems that are being phased-in to control on-road diesel NO(x) emissions in the United States and the European Union. Given the current levels of exposure in populations that burn biomass or use tobacco, the expected growth in biomass burning emissions with warmer, drier regional climates, and planned increase in diesel SCR controls, it is imperative that we understand the extent and effects of this HNCO exposure.

Chilling out: a cool aqueous environment promotes the formation of gas-surface complexes

SO(2), an important atmospheric pollutant, has been implicated in environmental phenomena such as acid rain, climate change, and cloud formation. In addition, SO(2) is fundamentally interesting because it forms spectroscopically identifiable complexes with water at aqueous surfaces. Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) is used here to further investigate the mechanism by which SO(2) adsorbs to water at tropospherically relevant temperatures (0-23 °C). The spectral results lead to two important conclusions. SO(2) surface affinity is enhanced at colder temperatures, with nearly all of the topmost water molecules showing evidence of binding to SO(2) at 0 °C as compared to a much lower fraction at room temperature. This surface adsorption results in significant changes in water orientation at the surface, but is reversible at the temperatures examined here. Second, the SO(2) complex formation at aqueous surfaces is independent of aqueous solution acidity. One challenge in previous uptake studies was the ability to distinguish between the effects of surface adsorption as compared to bulk accommodation. The surface and vibrational specificity of these studies make this distinction possible, allowing a selective study of how the aqueous properties temperature and pH influence SO(2) surface affinity.

Multireference configuration interaction study of bromocarbenes

Multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) calculations of the lowest singlet X(1A') and triplet ã((3)A'') states as well as the first excited singlet Ã((1)A'') state have been performed for a series of bromocarbenes: CHBr, CFBr, CClBr, CBr(2), and CIBr. The MRCI calculations were performed with correlation consistent basis sets of valence triple-ζ plus polarization quality, employing a full-valence active space of 18 electrons in 12 orbitals (12 and 9, respectively, for CHBr). Results obtained include equilibrium geometries and harmonic vibrational frequencies for each of the electronic states, along with ã((3)A'') ← X((1)A') singlet-triplet gaps and Ã((1)A'') ← X((1)A') transition energies. Comparisons have been made with previous computational and experimental results where available. The MRCI calculations presented in this work provide a comprehensive series of results at a consistent high level of theory for all of the bromocarbenes.

CCl(4) dissociation on the ice I(h) surface: an excess electron mediated process

Dissociation of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere is a heterogeneous process that takes place mainly on the surface of ice particles. Recently an enhancement of the dissociation rate due to excess electrons has been shown theoretically and correspondingly measured experimentally. Our density functional theory calculations show that CCl(4) dissociates due to an excess electron with an energy gain of 0.8 eV on the ice surface as opposed to in the gas phase. Through the use of ab initio molecular dynamics, an atomistic pathway for this dissociation has been elucidated, this pathway shows the capture of Cl(-) by the ice surface through a partial solvation mechanism, in agreement with recent experimental findings.

Direct ab initio dynamics calculations for rates and the kinetic isotope effects of multiproton transfer in ClONO2 + HCl --> HNO3 + Cl2 reactions with water clusters: breakdown of the rule of the geometric mean

We performed high-level quantum mechanical calculations and direct ab initio reaction dynamics calculations for multiple proton transfers in ClONO(2)+HCl-->HNO(3)+Cl(2) with water clusters containing one to two water molecules, which can be used as a model of the reactions occurring on ice surface in stratospheric clouds. The energy barriers of these reactions depend on the number of water molecules involved. Two and three protons in these reactions with one and two water molecules, respectively, were transferred concertedly and asynchronously. The potential energy barrier at the MP2/6-311++(3df,3pd)//MP2/6-31G(d,p) level was 4.8 kcal/mol for the triple proton transfer involving two water molecules with a rate constant of 1.6x10(3) s(-1) at 197 K. The potential energy curve near the saddle points was very flat and the tunneling effect on the proton transfer was negligible. The primary HH/DH kinetic isotope effect for the double proton transfer involving one water molecule was lower than unity due to the enhanced force constant at the transition state. The rule of the geometric mean for the concerted proton transfer does not hold in these reactions because the zero-point energy changes of each proton in flight at the transition state are not the same in the highly asynchronous processes.

A unique dosing system for the production of OH under high vacuum for the study of environmental heterogeneous reactions

A unique dosing system for the production of hydroxyl radicals under high vacuum for the study of environmental heterogeneous reactions is described. Hydroxyl radicals are produced by the photodissociation of a hydrogen peroxide aqueous gas mixture with 254 nm radiation according to the reaction H2O2+hnu (254 nm)-->OH+OH. Under the conditions of the current design, 0.6% conversion of hydrogen peroxide is expected yielding a hydroxyl number density on the order of 10(10) molecules/cm3. The flux distribution of the dosing system is calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation method and compared with the experimentally determined results. The performance of this unique hydroxyl dosing system is demonstrated for the heterogeneous reaction with a solid surface of potassium iodide. Coupling of the hydroxyl radical dosing system to a quantitative surface analysis system should help provide molecular level insight into detailed reaction mechanisms.

Combined vacuum ultraviolet laser and synchrotron pulsed field ionization study of CH2BrCl

The pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (PFI-PE) spectrum of bromochloromethane (CH2BrCl) in the region of 85,320-88,200 cm-1 has been measured using vacuum ultraviolet laser. The vibrational structure resolved in the PFI-PE spectrum was assigned based on ab initio quantum chemical calculations and Franck-Condon factor predictions. At energies 0-1400 cm-1 above the adiabatic ionization energy (IE) of CH2BrCl, the Br-C-Cl bending vibration progression (nu1+=0-8) of CH2BrCl+ is well resolved and constitutes the major structure in the PFI-PE spectrum, whereas the spectrum at energies 1400-2600 cm-1 above the IE(CH2BrCl) is found to exhibit complex vibrational features, suggesting perturbation by the low lying excited CH2BrCl+(A 2A") state. The assignment of the PFI-PE vibrational bands gives the IE(CH2BrCl)=85,612.4+/-2.0 cm-1 (10.6146+/-0.0003 eV) and the bending frequencies nu1+(a1')=209.7+/-2.0 cm-1 for CH2BrCl+(X2A'). We have also examined the dissociative photoionization process, CH2BrCl+hnu-->CH2Cl++Br+e-, in the energy range of 11.36-11.57 eV using the synchrotron based PFI-PE-photoion coincidence method, yielding the 0 K threshold or appearance energy AE(CH2Cl+)=11.509+/-0.002 eV. Combining the 0 K AE(CH2Cl+) and IE(CH2BrCl) values obtained in this study, together with the known IE(CH2Cl), we have determined the 0 K bond dissociation energies (D0) for CH2Cl+-Br (0.894+/-0.002 eV) and CH2Cl-Br (2.76+/-0.01 eV). We have also performed CCSD(T, full)/complete basis set (CBS) calculations with high-level corrections for the predictions of the IE(CH2BrCl), AE(CH2Cl+), IE(CH2Cl), D0(CH2Cl+-Br), and D0(CH2Cl-Br). The comparison between the theoretical predictions and experimental determinations indicates that the CCSD(T, full)/CBS calculations with high-level corrections are highly reliable with estimated error limits of <17 meV.

Organic acid formation in the gas-phase ozonolysis of α-pinene

The mechanism of formation of pinonic and norpinonic acids from alpha-pinene ozonolysis has been investigated by studying the products of the ozonolysis of an enone derived from alpha-pinene using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry.