Density functional investigation of the interaction of acetone with small gold clusters

The structural evolution of Au(n) (n=2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 13) clusters and the adsorption of organic molecules such as acetone, acetaldehyde, and diethyl ketone on these clusters are studied using a density functional method. The detailed study of the adsorption of acetone on the Au(n) clusters reveals two main points. (1) The acetone molecule interacts with one gold atom of the gold clusters via the carbonyl oxygen. (2) This interaction is mediated through back donation mainly from the spd-hybridized orbitals of the interacting gold atom to the oxygen atom of the acetone molecule. In addition, a hydrogen bond is observed between a hydrogen atom of the methyl group and another gold atom (not involved in the bonding with carbonyl oxygen). Interestingly, the authors notice that the geometries of Au(9) and Au(13) undergo a significant flattening due to the adsorption of an acetone molecule. They have also investigated the role of the alkyl chain attached to the carbonyl group in the adsorption process by analyzing the interaction of Au(13) with acetaldehyde and diethyl ketone.

N2 activation on Al metal clusters: catalyzing role of BN-doped graphene support

The successful sustenance of life demands an ambient abiotic process for N₂ activation and dissociation. The Bosch-Haber process remains the only abiotic and synthetic means for N₂ activation and its fixation. Metal nanoclusters have been recently reported for activating molecular nitrogen. Interestingly, the metal clusters explored so far for N₂ activation are free clusters and, hence, are practically not applicable by experimental chemists. Using density functional theory (DFT) based methodology, we propose a potential catalytic system for di-nitrogen activation, viz. supported Al clusters. Al clusters supported on BN doped graphene sheets are seen to activate N₂ molecule with a red shift in the N-N stretching frequency up to 874 cm^-1 with activation barriers as low as 1.14 eV.

Ab Initio Molecular Dynamical Investigation of the Finite Temperature Behavior of the Tetrahedral Au19and Au20Clusters

Density functional molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to understand the finite temperature behavior of Au19 and Au20 clusters. Au20 has been reported to be a unique molecule having tetrahedral geometry, a large HOMO-LUMO energy gap, and an atomic packing similar to that of the bulk gold (Li, J.; et al. Science 2003, 299, 864). Our results show that the geometry of Au19 is exactly identical with that of Au20 with one missing corner atom (called a vacancy). Surprisingly, our calculated heat capacities for this nearly identical pair of gold clusters exhibit dramatic differences. Au20 undergoes a clear and distinct solid-like to liquid-like transition with a sharp peak in the heat capacity curve around 770 K. On the other hand, Au19 has a broad and flat heat capacity curve with continuous melting transition. This continuous melting transition turns out to be a consequence of a process involving a series of atomic rearrangements along the surface to fill in the missing corner atom. This results in a restricted diffusive motion of atoms along the surface of Au19 between 650 to 900 K during which the shape of the ground state geometry is retained. In contrast, the tetrahedral structure of Au20 is destroyed around 800 K, and the cluster is clearly in a liquid-like state above 1000 K. Thus, this work clearly demonstrates that (i) the gold clusters exhibit size sensitive variations in the heat capacity curves and (ii) the broad and continuous melting transition in a cluster, a feature that has so far been attributed to the disorder or absence of symmetry in the system, can also be a consequence of a defect (absence of a cap atom) in the structure.

"Magic melters" have geometrical origin

Recent experimental reports bring out extreme size sensitivity in the heat capacities of gallium and aluminum clusters. In the present work we report results of our extensive ab initio molecular dynamical simulations on Ga30 and Ga31, the pair which has shown rather dramatic size sensitivity. We trace the origin of this size sensitive heat capacities to the relative order in their respective ground state geometries. Such an effect of nature of the ground state on the characteristics of heat capacity is also seen in case of small gallium and sodium clusters, indicating that the observed size sensitivity is a generic feature of small clusters.

Density functional analysis of the structural evolution of Gan (n=30–55) clusters and its influence on the melting characteristics

Recent experimental results have reported surprising variations in the shapes of the heat capacity curves and melting temperatures of gallium clusters in the size range of 30-55 atoms [G. A. Breaux et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 8628 (2004)]. In the present work, we have carried out an extensive density functional investigation on ten selected clusters in the above mentioned size range. In particular, we have analyzed the ground state geometry and the nature of bonding in these clusters using electron localization function. We demonstrate that the existence or otherwise of a large island of atoms bonded with similar strength (i.e., the local order) in the ground state geometry is responsible for the variation in the shape of the heat capacity curve. We attribute the observed higher melting temperatures of some of the clusters (viz., Ga45-Ga48) to the presence of a distinct core and strong covalent bonds between the core and surface atoms. The present work clearly demonstrates that it is possible to understand the general trends observed in the heat capacity curves across the entire series on the basis of the analysis of their ground state.

Zoon's balanitis

Superficial lesions of the glans penis can cause diagnostic difficulties. Zoon's balanitis can be distinguished by characteristic histological changes affecting the epidermis and the dermal vasculature. A 44-year-old male presented after having blood-staining of his underclothes for 5 months. Upon examination, the glans showed a red, moist plaque. Circumcision was performed, and the biopsy showed plasma cell balanitis. Following circumcision, the lesion healed completely.

Endohedrally doped gold nanocages: efficient catalysts for O2 activation and CO oxidation

Gold nanocages are the most attractive catalytic materials as all the atoms in the cage type clusters reside on the surface, making them available for chemisorption by reacting molecules.

Molecular and Dissociative Adsorption of Oxygen on Au-Pd Bimetallic Clusters: Role of Composition and Spin State of the Cluster

Utilization of molecular oxygen as an oxidizing agent in industrially important reactions is the ultimate goal to design environmentally benign processes under ambient conditions. However, the high thermal stability and a large O-O dissociation barrier in O2 molecule pose a great challenge toward its successful application in the oxidative chemistry. To achieve this goal, different catalysts based on monometallic and bimetallic clusters have been developed over the years to promote binding and dissociation of molecular oxygen. The successful design of efficient metal cluster catalysis needs an in-depth knowledge of synergistic effects between different metal atoms and intrinsic catalytic mechanisms for O2 adsorption and dissociation. Here, we present a systematic theoretical investigation of reaction pathways for O2 adsorption and dissociation on Au8, Pd8, and Au8-n Pd n (n = 1-7) nanoclusters in different spin states. The density functional calculations point out that the O2 dissociation barriers can be significantly reduced with the help of certain bimetallic clusters along specific spin channels. Our results particularly indicate that Au5Pd3 and Au1Pd7 show very large O2 binding energies of 1.76 and 1.69 eV, respectively. The enhanced O2 binding subsequently leads to low activation barriers of 0.98 and 1.19 eV along the doublet and quartet spin channels, respectively, without the involvement of any spin flip-over for O2 dissociation. Furthermore, the computed O2 dissociation barriers are significantly low as compared to the already reported barriers (1.95-3.65 eV) on monometallic and bimetallic Au-Ag clusters. The results provide key mechanistic insights into the interaction and dissociation of molecular oxygen with Au-Pd clusters, which can prove informative for the design of efficient catalysts for oxidative chemistry involving molecular oxygen as a reactant.

Structural analysis of phosphatidyl choline lipids and glycerol precursors

The structures and stabilities of the glycerol (G) and glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) isomers have been calculated in the gas phase, using an ab initio density functional theory (DFT) method. The different conformational structures are shown to be at the origin of the various phospholipid conformers, except, obviously, for the alkyl chain torsions. The G3P conformations have been examined taking into account the experimental structures of the complexation sites in the glycerol kinase (GK) and glycerol 3-phosphate acyl transferase (G3PAT) enzymes, which correspond to the first and second steps of the “de novo” phospholipid biogenesis, respectively. The conformational analysis of the glycerophosphate skeleton is shown to determine most of the structural characteristics of the phosphatidyl choline lipids, which differ by the length of their diacyl chains, i.e., dilauroyl (DL), dimyristoyl (DM), and dipalmitoyl (DP) phosphatidylcholines (PC). Higher energy conformers with kinks in the acyl chains have been found, in preparation for molecular dynamics studies of the chain melting phase transformation.

Tailoring the structure and electronic properties of platinum and gold–platinum nanocatalysts towards enhanced O2 activation

The structural designing of a precious metal molecular catalyst by doping is proved to significantly enhance its activity.

Nitrogen activation to reduction on a recyclable V-SAC/BN-graphene heterocatalyst sifted through dual and multiphilic descriptors

Efficient reduction of nitrogen to ammonia at a minimal cost would require a recherche catalyst tailored by assimilating the inherent electronic and reactive nature of Single Atom Catalysts (SACs) on heteroatom doped-graphene. A full-scale DFT study accounting for disparate descriptions of atomic orbitals and representation of support, has been carried out to identify the most active and recyclable SAC/B-graphene composite as catalyst for Nitrogen Reduction Reaction (NRR). Dual and Multiphilic descriptors derived reactivity pattern of six different metal SACs V, Fe, Ni, Ru, W and Re on periodic and non-periodic paradigms of pristine and BN-pair doped graphene supports, align with the calculated chemisorption efficacy and activation of N₂. The enzymatic route of nitrogen reduction on three most ideal metal SACs (V, W and Re) culminates Vanadium SAC, a relatively cheaper metal, anchored on BNring-graphene with an energy barrier of ⩽1.24 eV as a highly active and recyclable catalyst for NRR.

Stretching the threshold of reversible dynamics in silicon clusters: A case of carbon alloyed Si6

Silicon clusters with 3-50 atoms undergo isomerization/reversible dynamics or structural deformation at significantly lower temperatures of 350 K-500 K. Through Born Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamical (BOMD) simulations, the current study demonstrates that carbon alloying enhances the thermal stability of a silicon cluster. The study is carried out on a Si₆ cluster which has been recently reported to undergo reversible dynamical movements using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. Present BOMD simulations validate the experimentally observed reversible atomic displacements (reversible dynamical movements) at finite temperatures which are seen to persist nearly up to 2000 K. Carbon alloying of Si₆ is seen to stretch the threshold of reversible dynamics from 200 K to 600 K depending upon the alloying concentration of carbon in the cluster.

Exploring edge functionalised blue phosphorene nanoribbons as novel photocatalysts for water splitting

1D phosphorene nanoribbon edges activating water molecules under sunlight.

Au26: a case of fluxionality/co-existence

BOMD simulations are performed on experimentally identified conformations of the fluxional Au26 cluster at finite temperature. Comprehensive analysis of structural, electronic and thermal properties indicates that the highest energy tubular cage conformation (till 500 K) outperforms the ground state conformation (till 400 K) in terms of thermal stability.

Dissociative chemisorption of hydrogen molecules on defective graphene-supported aluminium clusters: a computational study

Using periodic density functional theory-based calculations, in the present study, we address the chemical bonding between aluminium clusters (Al_n, n = 4–8 and 13) and monovacant defective graphene.