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de Lara-Castells MP. First-principles modelling of the new generation of subnanometric metal clusters: Recent case studies. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 612:737-759. [PMID: 35033919 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.12.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The very recent development of highly selective techniques making possible the synthesis and experimental characterization of subnanometric (subnanometer-sized) metal clusters (even single atoms) is pushing our understanding far beyond the present knowledge in materials science, driving these clusters as a new generation of quantum materials at the lower bounds of nanotechnology. When the size of the metal cluster is reduced to a small number of atoms, the d-band of the metal splits into a subnanometric d-type molecular orbitals network in which all metal atoms are inter-connected, with the inter-connections having the length of a chemical bond (1-2 Å). These molecular characteristics are at the very core of the high stability and novel properties of the smallest metal clusters, with their integration into colloidal materials interacting with the environment having the potential to further boost their performance in applications such as luminescence, sensing, bioimaging, theranostics, energy conversion, catalysis, and photocatalysis. Through the presentation of very recent case studies, this Feature Article is aimed to illustrate how first-principles modelling, including methods beyond the state-of-the-art and an interplay with cutting-edge experiments, is helping to understand the special properties of these clusters at the most fundamental level. Moreover, it will be discussed how superfluid helium droplets can act both as nano-reactors and carriers to achieve the synthesis and surface deposition of metal clusters. This concept will be illustrated with the quantum simulation of the helium droplet-assisted soft-landing of a single Au atom onto a titanium dioxide (TiO2) surface. Next, it will be shown how the application of first-principles methods have disclosed the fundamental reasons why subnanometric Cu5 clusters are resistant to irreversible oxidation, and capable of increasing and extending into the visible region the solar absorption of TiO2, of augmenting its efficiency for photo-catalysis beyond a factor of four, also considering the decomposition and photo-activation of CO2 as a prototypical (photo-) catalytic reaction. Finally, I will discuss how the modification of the same material with subnanometric Ag5 clusters has converted it into a "reporter" of a surface polaron property as well as a novel two-dimensional polaronic material.
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Mitrushchenkov AO, Zanchet A, Hauser AW, de Lara-Castells MP. Nonadiabatic Effects in the Molecular Oxidation of Subnanometric Cu 5 Clusters. J Phys Chem A 2021; 125:9143-9150. [PMID: 34633823 PMCID: PMC8543446 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c07271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
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The electronic structure
of subnanometric clusters, far off the
bulk regime, is still dominated by molecular characteristics. The
spatial arrangement of the notoriously undercoordinated metal atoms
is strongly coupled to the electronic properties of the system, which
makes this class of materials particularly interesting for applications
including luminescence, sensing, bioimaging, theranostics, energy
conversion, catalysis, and photocatalysis. Opposing a common rule
of thumb that assumes an increasing chemical reactivity with smaller
cluster size, Cu5 clusters have proven to be exceptionally
resistant to irreversible oxidation, i.e., the dissociative chemisorption
of molecular oxygen. Besides providing reasons for this behavior in
the case of heavy loading with molecular oxygen, we investigate the
competition between physisorption and molecular chemisorption from
the perspective of nonadiabatic effects. Landau–Zener theory
is applied to the Cu5(O2)3 complex
to estimate the probability for a switching between the electronic
states correlating the neutral O2 + Cu5(O2)2 and the ionic O2– + (Cu5(O2)2)+ fragments in a diabatic representation.
Our work demonstrates the involvement of strong nonadiabatic effects
in the associated charge transfer process, which might be a common
motive in reactions involving subnanometric metal structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandre Zanchet
- Instituto de Física Fundamental (AbinitSim Unit), CSIC, Serrano 123, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andreas W Hauser
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz, Austria
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A Path Integral Molecular Dynamics Simulation of a Harpoon-Type Redox Reaction in a Helium Nanodroplet. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26195783. [PMID: 34641327 PMCID: PMC8510490 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26195783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We present path integral molecular dynamics (PIMD) calculations of an electron transfer from a heliophobic Cs2 dimer in its (3Σu) state, located on the surface of a He droplet, to a heliophilic, fully immersed C60 molecule. Supported by electron ionization mass spectroscopy measurements (Renzler et al., J. Chem. Phys.2016, 145, 181101), this spatially quenched reaction was characterized as a harpoon-type or long-range electron transfer in a previous high-level ab initio study (de Lara-Castells et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett.2017, 8, 4284). To go beyond the static approach, classical and quantum PIMD simulations are performed at 2 K, slightly below the critical temperature for helium superfluidity (2.172 K). Calculations are executed in the NVT ensemble as well as the NVE ensemble to provide insights into real-time dynamics. A droplet size of 2090 atoms is assumed to study the impact of spatial hindrance on reactivity. By changing the number of beads in the PIMD simulations, the impact of quantization can be studied in greater detail and without an implicit assumption of superfluidity. We find that the reaction probability increases with higher levels of quantization. Our findings confirm earlier, static predictions of a rotational motion of the Cs2 dimer upon reacting with the fullerene, involving a substantial displacement of helium. However, it also raises the new question of whether the interacting species are driven out-of-equilibrium after impurity uptake, since reactivity is strongly quenched if a full thermal equilibration is assumed. More generally, our work points towards a novel mechanism for long-range electron transfer through an interplay between nuclear quantum delocalization within the confining medium and delocalized electronic dispersion forces acting on the two reactants.
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Zanchet A, López-Caballero P, Mitrushchenkov AO, Buceta D, López-Quintela MA, Hauser AW, Pilar de Lara-Castells M. On the Stability of Cu 5 Catalysts in Air Using Multireference Perturbation Theory. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2019; 123:27064-27072. [PMID: 33101568 PMCID: PMC7575162 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b08378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
An ab initio study of the interaction of O2, the most abundant radical and oxidant species in the atmosphere, with a Cu5 cluster, a new generation atomic metal catalyst, is presented. The open-shell nature of the reactant species is properly accounted for by using the multireference perturbation theory, allowing the experimentally confirmed resistivity of Cu5 clusters toward oxidation to be investigated. Approximate reaction pathways for the transition from physisorption to chemisorption are calculated for the interaction of O2 with quasi-iso-energetic trapezoidal planar and trigonal bipyramidal structures. Within the multireference approach, the transition barrier for O2 activation can be interpreted as an avoided crossing between adiabatic states (neutral and ionic), which provides new insights into the charge-transfer process and gives better estimates for this hard to localize and therefore often neglected first intermediate state. For Cu5 arranged in a bipyramidal structure, the O-O bond cleavage is confirmed as the rate-determining step. However, for planar Cu5, the high energy barrier for O2 activation, related to a very pronounced avoided crossing when going from physisorption to chemisorption, determines the reactivity in this case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Zanchet
- Instituto
de Física Fundamental (AbinitSim Unit), CSIC, Serrano 123, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento
de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | | | - Alexander O. Mitrushchenkov
- Laboratoire
Modélisationet Simulation Multi Echelle, Université Paris-Est, MSME UMR 8208, CNRS, UPEC, UPEM, 5 Bd Descartes, Champs-sur-Marne, F-77454 Marne la Vallée, France
| | - David Buceta
- Laboratory
of Nanotechnology and Magnetism, University
of Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Manuel Arturo López-Quintela
- Laboratory
of Nanotechnology and Magnetism, University
of Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Andreas W. Hauser
- Graz
University of Technology, Institute of Experimental
Physics, Petersgasse
16, 8010 Graz, Austria
- E-mail: (A.W.H.)
| | - María Pilar de Lara-Castells
- Instituto
de Física Fundamental (AbinitSim Unit), CSIC, Serrano 123, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- E-mail: . Phone: +34 915616800
(941026) (M.P.d.L.-C.)
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Pilar de Lara-Castells M, Hauser AW, Ramallo-López JM, Buceta D, Giovanetti LJ, López-Quintela MA, Requejo FG. Increasing the optical response of TiO 2 and extending it into the visible region through surface activation with highly stable Cu 5 clusters. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. A 2019; 7:7489-7500. [PMID: 31007927 PMCID: PMC6438356 DOI: 10.1039/c9ta00994a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The decoration of semiconductors with subnanometer-sized clusters of metal atoms can have a strong impact on the optical properties of the support. The changes induced differ greatly from effects known for their well-studied, metallic counterparts in the nanometer range. In this work, we study the deposition of Cu5 clusters on a TiO2 surface and investigate their influence on the photon-absorption properties of TiO2 nanoparticles via the computational modeling of a decorated rutile TiO2 (110) surface. Our findings are further supported by selected experiments using diffuse reflectance and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The Cu5 cluster donates an electron to TiO2, leading to the formation of a small polaron Ti3+ 3d1 state and depopulation of Cu(3d) orbitals, successfully explaining the absorption spectroscopy measurements at the K-edge of copper. A monolayer of highly stable and well fixated Cu5 clusters is formed, which not only enhances the overall absorption, but also extends the absorption profile into the visible region of the solar spectrum via direct photo-induced electron transfer and formation of a charge-separated state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas W Hauser
- Graz University of Technology , Institute of Experimental Physics , Petersgasse 16 , 8010 Graz , Austria .
| | - José M Ramallo-López
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA) , CONICET , Dto. de Química , Fac. de Ciencias Exactas , UNLP , Argentina
| | - David Buceta
- Lab. Nanomag , Instituto de Investigaciones Tecnológicas , Universidad de Santiago de Compostela , E-15782 Santiago de Compostela , Spain .
| | - Lisandro J Giovanetti
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA) , CONICET , Dto. de Química , Fac. de Ciencias Exactas , UNLP , Argentina
| | - M Arturo López-Quintela
- Lab. Nanomag , Instituto de Investigaciones Tecnológicas , Universidad de Santiago de Compostela , E-15782 Santiago de Compostela , Spain .
| | - Félix G Requejo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA) , CONICET , Dto. de Química , Fac. de Ciencias Exactas , UNLP , Argentina
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de Lara-Castells MP, Cabrillo C, Micha DA, Mitrushchenkov AO, Vazhappilly T. Ab initio design of light absorption through silver atomic cluster decoration of TiO 2. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:19110-19119. [PMID: 29974080 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp02853b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A first-principles study of the stability and optical response of subnanometer silver clusters Agn (n ≤ 5) on a TiO2(110) surface is presented. First, the adequacy of the vdW-corrected DFT-D3 approach is assessed using the domain-based pair natural orbital correlation DLPNO-CCSD(T) calculations along with the Symmetry-Adapted Perturbation Theory [SAPT(DFT)] applied to a cluster model. Next, using the DFT-D3 treatment with a periodic slab model, we analyze the interaction energies of the atomic silver clusters with the TiO2(110) surface. Finally, the hybrid HSE06 functional and a reduced density matrix treatment are applied to obtain the projected electronic density of states and photo-absorption spectra of the TiO2(110) surface, with and without adsorbed silver clusters. Our results show the stability of the supported clusters, the enhanced light absorbance intensity of the material upon their deposition, and the appearance of intense secondary broad peaks in the near-infrared and the visible regions of the spectrum, with positions depending on the size and shape of the supported clusters. The secondary peaks arise from the photo-induced transfer of electrons from intra-band valence 5s orbitals of the noble-metal cluster to 3d Ti band states of the supporting material.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Cabrillo
- Instituto de Estructura de la Materia (C.S.I.C.), Serrano 123, E-28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - David A Micha
- Quantum Theory Project, Departments of Chemistry and of Physics, University of Florida, 32661-8435, USA
| | - Alexander O Mitrushchenkov
- Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Modélisation et Simulation Multi Echelle, MSME UMR 8208 CNRS, 5 bd Descartes, 77454 Marne-la-Vallée, France
| | - Tijo Vazhappilly
- Theoretical Chemistry Section, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
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de Lara-Castells MP, Hauser AW, Mitrushchenkov AO. Ab Initio Confirmation of a Harpoon-Type Electron Transfer in a Helium Droplet. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:4284-4288. [PMID: 28841325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b01910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
An ab initio study of a long-range electron transfer or "harpoon"-type process from Cs and Cs2 to C60 in a superfluid helium droplet is presented. The heliophobic Cs or Cs2 species are initially located at the droplet surface, while the heliophilic C60 molecule is fully immersed in the droplet. First, probabilities for the electron transfer in the gas phase are calculated for reactants with velocities below the critical Landau velocity of 57 m/s to account for the superfluid helium environment. Next, reaction pathways are derived that also include the repulsive contribution from the extrusion of helium upon the approach of the two reactants. Our results are in perfect agreement with recent experimental measurements of electron ionization mass spectroscopy [ Renzler , M. ; et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2016 , 145 , 181101 ], showing a high possibility for the formation of a Cs2-C60 complex inside of the droplet through a direct harpoon-type electron transfer involving the rotation of the molecule but a negligibly low reactivity for atomic Cs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas W Hauser
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Graz University of Technology , Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Alexander O Mitrushchenkov
- Laboratoire Modélisation et Simulation Multi Echelle, Université Paris-Est , MSME UMR 8208 CNRS 5 bd Descartes, 77454 Marne-la-Vallée, France
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Migani A, Blancafort L. What Controls Photocatalytic Water Oxidation on Rutile TiO2(110) under Ultra-High-Vacuum Conditions? J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:11845-11856. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b05121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Annapaola Migani
- Departament
de Química Biològica i Modelització Molecular, IQAC-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lluís Blancafort
- Institut
de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament
de Química, Universitat de Girona (UDG), C/M. A. Capmany
69, 17003 Girona, Spain
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Henderson MA, Lyubinetsky I. Molecular-Level Insights into Photocatalysis from Scanning Probe Microscopy Studies on TiO2(110). Chem Rev 2013; 113:4428-55. [DOI: 10.1021/cr300315m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Henderson
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999,
MS K8-87 Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Igor Lyubinetsky
- Environmental Molecular Sciences
Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, MS K8-93 Richland, Washington 99352, United States
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Roncero O, Zanchet A, Villarreal P, Aguado A. A density-division embedding potential inversion technique. J Chem Phys 2009; 131:234110. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3274823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Roncero O, de Lara-Castells MP, Villarreal P, Flores F, Ortega J, Paniagua M, Aguado A. An inversion technique for the calculation of embedding potentials. J Chem Phys 2008; 129:184104. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3007987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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13
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Mitrushchenkov A, Werner HJ. Calculation of transition moments between internally contracted MRCI wave functions with non-orthogonal orbitals†. Mol Phys 2007. [DOI: 10.1080/00268970701326978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Saalfrank P. Quantum Dynamical Approach to Ultrafast Molecular Desorption from Surfaces. Chem Rev 2006; 106:4116-59. [PMID: 17031982 DOI: 10.1021/cr0501691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Saalfrank
- Theoretische Chemie, Institut für Chemie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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