The development of highly active DFT catalysts for an electrocatalytic N_(2)reduction reaction(NRR)under mild conditions is a difficult challenge.In this study,a series of atom‐pair catalysts(APCs)for an NRR were fab...The development of highly active DFT catalysts for an electrocatalytic N_(2)reduction reaction(NRR)under mild conditions is a difficult challenge.In this study,a series of atom‐pair catalysts(APCs)for an NRR were fabricated using transition‐metal(TM)atoms(TM=Sc−Zn)doped into g‐CN monolayers.The electrochemical mechanism of APCs for an NRR has been reported by well‐defined density functional theory calculations.The calculated limiting potentials were−0.47 and−0.78 V for the Fe_(2)@CN and Co_(2)@CN catalysts,respectively.Owing to its high suppression of hydrogen evolution reactions,Co_(2)@CN is a superior electrocatalytic material for a N_(2)fixation.Stable Fe_(2)@CN may be a strongly attractive material for an NRR with a relatively low overpotential after an improvement in the selectivity.The two‐way charge transfer affirmed the donation‐acceptance procedure between N_(2)and Fe_(2)@CN or Co_(2)@CN,which play a crucial role in the activation of inert N≡N bonds.This study provides an in‐depth investigation into atom‐pair catalysts and will open up new avenues for highly efficient g‐CN‐based nanostructures for an NRR.展开更多
This paper studies supersonic jet-cooled 1-fluoronaphthalene （1FN） clusters by ultraviolet （UV） laser ionization at 281 nm in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The （1FN）＋ （n=1-3） series cluster ions are obs...This paper studies supersonic jet-cooled 1-fluoronaphthalene （1FN） clusters by ultraviolet （UV） laser ionization at 281 nm in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The （1FN）＋ （n=1-3） series cluster ions are observed where the signal intensity decreases with increasing cluster size. The effects of sample inlet pressures and ionization laser fluxes to mass spectral distribution are measured. Using density functional theory calculations, it obtains a planar geometric structure of 1FN dimer which is combined through two hydrogen bonds. The mass spectra indicate that the intensity of 1FN trimer is much weaker than that of 1FN dimer and this feature is attributed to the fact that the dimer may form the first ＂shell＂ in geometric structure while the larger clusters are generated based on this fundamental unit.展开更多
Arsenic can diffuse into high-κ dielectrics during OaAs-based metal oxide semiconductor transistor process, which causes the degradation of gate dielectrics. To explore the origins of the degradation, we employ nonlo...Arsenic can diffuse into high-κ dielectrics during OaAs-based metal oxide semiconductor transistor process, which causes the degradation of gate dielectrics. To explore the origins of the degradation, we employ nonlocal B3LYP hybrid functional to study arsenic related defects in ZrO2. Via band alignments between the OaAs and ZrO2, we are able to determine the defect formation energy in the GaAs relative to the ZrO2 band gap and assess how they will affect the device performance. Arsenic at the interstitial site serves as a source of positive fixed charge while at the oxygen or zirconium substitutional site changes its charge state within the band gap of GaAs. Moreover, it is found that arsenic related defects produce conduction band offset reduction and gap states, which will increase the gate leakage current.展开更多
In this paper, we perform the density functional theory （DFT） -based calculations by the first-principles pseudopo- tential method to investigate the physical properties of the newly discovered superconductor LaRu2A...In this paper, we perform the density functional theory （DFT） -based calculations by the first-principles pseudopo- tential method to investigate the physical properties of the newly discovered superconductor LaRu2As2 for the first time. The optimized structural parameters are in good agreement with the experimental results. The calculated independent elas- tic constants ensure the mechanical stability of the compound. The calculated Cauchy pressure, Pugh＇s ratio as well as Poisson＇s ratio indicate that LaRu2As2 should behave as a ductile material. Due to low Debye temperature, LaRu2As2 may be used as a thermal barrier coating （TBC） material. The new compound should exhibit metallic nature as its valence bands overlap considerably with the conduction bands. LaRu2As2 is expected to be a soft material and easily machinable because of its low hardness value of 6.8 GPa. The multi-band nature is observed in the calculated Fermi surface. A highly anisotropic combination of ionic, covalent and metallic interactions is expected to be in accordance with charge density calculation.展开更多
The growth of Fe nanoclusters oN the Ge（001） surface has been studied using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy （STM） and density functional theory （DFT） calculations. STM results indicate that Fe nucl...The growth of Fe nanoclusters oN the Ge（001） surface has been studied using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy （STM） and density functional theory （DFT） calculations. STM results indicate that Fe nucleates on the Ge（001） surface, forming well-ordered nanoclusters of uniform size. Depending on the preparation conditions, two types of nanoclusters were observed having either four or sixteen Fe atoms within a nanocluster. The results were confirmed by DFT calculations. Annealing the nanoclusters at 420 K leads to the formation of nanorow structures, due to cluster mobility at such temperature. The Fe nanoclusters and nanorow structures formed on the Ge（001） surface show a superparamagnetic behaviour as measured by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism.展开更多
Biochar has been extensively utilized to amend soil and mitigate greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions from croplands.However,the effectiveness of biochar application in reducing cropland GHG emissions remains uncertain due to...Biochar has been extensively utilized to amend soil and mitigate greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions from croplands.However,the effectiveness of biochar application in reducing cropland GHG emissions remains uncertain due to variations in soil properties and environmental conditions across regions.In this study,the impact of biochar surface functional groups on soil GHG emissions was investigated using molecular model calculation.Machine learning(ML)technology was applied to predict the responses of soil GHG emissions and crop yields under different biochar feedstocks and application rates,aiming to determine the optimum biochar application strategies based on specific soil properties and environmental conditions on a global scale.The findings suggest that the functional groups play an essential role in determining biochar surface activity and the soil’s capacity for adsorbing GHGs.ML was an effective method in predicting the changes in soil GHG emissions and crop yield following biochar application.Moreover,poor-fertility soils exhibited greater changes in GHG emissions compared to fertile soil.Implementing an optimized global strategy for biochar application may result in a substantial reduction of 684.25 Tg year^(−1)CO_(2)equivalent(equivalent to 7.87%of global cropland GHG emissions)while simultaneously improving crop yields.This study improves our understanding of the interaction between biochar surface properties and soil GHG,confirming the potential of global biochar application strategies in mitigating cropland GHG emissions and addressing global climate degradation.Further research efforts are required to optimize such strategies.展开更多
Palladium oxide(PdOx)and cobalt oxide(Co3O4)are efficient catalysts for methane(CH4)combustion,and Pd‐doped Co3O4catalysts have been found to exhibit better catalytic activities,which suggest synergism between the tw...Palladium oxide(PdOx)and cobalt oxide(Co3O4)are efficient catalysts for methane(CH4)combustion,and Pd‐doped Co3O4catalysts have been found to exhibit better catalytic activities,which suggest synergism between the two components.We carried out first‐principles calculations at the PBE+U level to investigate the Pd‐doping effect on CH4reactivity over the Co3O4catalyst.Because of the structural complexity of the Pd‐doped Co3O4catalyst,we built Pd‐doped catalyst models using Co3O4(001)slabs with two different terminations and examined CH4reactivity over the possible Pd?O active sites.A low energy barrier of0.68eV was predicted for CH4dissociation over the more reactive Pd‐doped Co3O4(001)surface,which was much lower than the0.98and0.89eV that was predicted previously over the more reactive pure Co3O4(001)and(011)surfaces,respectively.Using a simple model,we predicted CH4reaction rates over the pure Co3O4(001)and(011)surfaces,and Co3O4(001)surfaces with different amounts of Pd dopant.Our theoretical results agree well with the available experimental data,which suggests a strong synergy between the Pd dopant and the Co3O4catalyst,and leads to a significant increase in CH4reaction rate.展开更多
The role of additional ternary alloying elements on the performance of stationary TiFe-based hydrogen storage alloys was investigated based on first-principles density functional theory calculations.As a basic step fo...The role of additional ternary alloying elements on the performance of stationary TiFe-based hydrogen storage alloys was investigated based on first-principles density functional theory calculations.As a basic step for examinations,the site preference of each alloying element in the stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric B2TiFe compounds was clarified considering possible antisite defects.Based on the revealed site preference,the effect of various possible ternary elements on the hydrogen storage was examined by focusing on the formation enthalpies of TiFeH and TiFeH_(2) hydrides,which were closely related to the change in the location of plateaus in the pressure-composition-temperature curve.Several physical properties such as the volume expansion due to hydride formation were also examined to provide additional criteria for selecting optimum alloying conditions in future alloying design processes.Candidate alloying elements that maximize the grain boundary embrittlement due to the solute segregation were proposed for the enhanced initial activation of TiFe-based hydrogen storage alloys.展开更多
The thermodynamic stability and lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 were studied with density functional theorical calculations. The results show that the formation free energy of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid...The thermodynamic stability and lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 were studied with density functional theorical calculations. The results show that the formation free energy of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solution is slightly higher than that of the phase-separated mixture of LiFePO4 and LiMnPO4, and the two forms may co-exist in the actual LiFexMn1-xPO4 materials. The calculation manifests that the lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solutions vary via the Mn/Fe ratio and the spatial arrangements of the transition metal ions, and the result is used to explain the shape of capacity-voltage curves. Experimentally, we have synthesized the LiFexMn1-xPO4 materials by solid-phase reaction method. The existence of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solution is thought to be responsible for the appearance of additional capacity-voltage plateau observed in the experiment.展开更多
A supramolecular 1D ferromagnetic system was studied experimentally as well as theoretically.Hybrid density functional theory（DFT） calculations were based on the X-ray analysis.The results of DFT calculations and Mc...A supramolecular 1D ferromagnetic system was studied experimentally as well as theoretically.Hybrid density functional theory（DFT） calculations were based on the X-ray analysis.The results of DFT calculations and McConnell mechanism have contributed to the understanding of the factors governing the exchange coupling of magnetism in the crystal packing.Both the experimental evidence and theoretical calculation indicate that spin density in 2-iodo nitronyl nitroxide（INN） radicals confirms 1D ferromagnetic chain with inter-chain antiferromagnetic interaction.展开更多
Sodium-sulfur(Na-S)batteries are believed as the hopeful energy storage and conversion techniques owing to the high specific capacity and low cost.Nevertheless,unstable sodium(Na)deposition/stripping of Na metal anode...Sodium-sulfur(Na-S)batteries are believed as the hopeful energy storage and conversion techniques owing to the high specific capacity and low cost.Nevertheless,unstable sodium(Na)deposition/stripping of Na metal anode,low intrinsic conductivity of sulfur cathode,and severe shuttling effect of sodium polysulfides(NaPSs)pose significant challenges in the actual reversible capacity and cycle life of Na-S batteries.Herein,a self-supporting electrode made of nitrogen-doped carbon fiber embedded with cobalt nanoparticles(Co/NC-CF)is designed to load sulfur.Meanwhile,gel polymer electrolyte(GPE)with high ion transfer ability is obtained by in-situ polymerization inside the battery.During the polymerization process,an integrated electrode-electrolyte and a continuous ion-electron conduction network in a composite cathode are constructed inside the Na-S battery.It is noteworthy that the designed GPE demonstrates superior ionic conductivity and effective adsorption of NaPSs that can significantly suppress the shuttle effect.Leveraging the synergistic interplay between the designed GPE and self-supporting cathode,the assembled quasi-solid-state(QSS)Na-S battery exhibits great cycling stability.These experimental results are further corroborated by COMSOL Multiphysics simulations and density functional theory(DFT)calculations,which mechanistically validate the enhanced electrochemical performance.The findings of this study offer new and promising perspectives for advancing the development of nextgeneration solid-state batteries.展开更多
Metal-air batteries,like Zn-air batteries(ZABs)are usually suffered from low energy conversion efficiency and poor cyclability caused by the sluggish OER and ORR at the air cathode.Herein,a novel bimetallic Co/CoFe na...Metal-air batteries,like Zn-air batteries(ZABs)are usually suffered from low energy conversion efficiency and poor cyclability caused by the sluggish OER and ORR at the air cathode.Herein,a novel bimetallic Co/CoFe nanomaterial supported on nanoflower-like N-doped graphitic carbon(NC)was prepared through a strategy of coordination construction-cation exchange-pyrolysis and used as a highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst.Experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal the formation of Co/CoFe heterostructure and synergistic effect between metal layer and NC support,leading to improved electric conductivity,accelerated reaction kinetics,and optimized adsorption energy for intermediates of ORR and OER.The Co/CoFe@NC exhibits high bifunctional activities with a remarkably small potential gap of 0.70 V between the half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of ORR and the potential at 10 mA cm^(-2)(E_(j=10))of OER.The aqueous ZAB constructed using this air electrode exhibits a slight voltage loss of only 60 mV after 550-cycle test(360 h,15 days).A sodium polyacrylate(PANa)-based hydrogel electrolyte was synthesized with strong water-retention capability and high ionic conductivity.The quasi-solid-state ZAB by integrating the Co/CoFe@NC air electrode and PANa hydrogel electrolyte demonstrates excellent mechanical stability and cyclability under different bending states.展开更多
The rational fabrication of heterostructures is one of efficient strategies for improving photocatalytic performance of semiconductor photocatalysts.Very recently,Domen and co-workers found that Ta_(3)N_(5) single cry...The rational fabrication of heterostructures is one of efficient strategies for improving photocatalytic performance of semiconductor photocatalysts.Very recently,Domen and co-workers found that Ta_(3)N_(5) single crystals grown on the surface of KTaO_(3) can accomplish photocatalytic overall water splitting for the first time.In order to comprehend the underlying mechanism of this photocatalytic system,we have performed a systematic study based on density functional theory first-principles calculations.Ta_(3)N_(5)(010)/KTaO_(3)(110)slab models have been built according to experimental observations by considering two common terminations of KTaO_(3)(110)surface,named as Ta_(3)N_(5)/O_(2) and Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO.The formations of interfacial bonds are thermodynamically stable,showing a covalent interaction between two components of a heterostructure.Ta_(3)N_(5)/O_(2) has a higher mobility of photogenerated charge carriers and lower recombination rate of charge carriers than Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO.The light absorption of heterostructures displays the feature of KTaO_(3) in the short wavelength region and the characteristic of Ta_(3)N_(5) in the long wavelength region.The calculated band offsets show that Ta_(3)N_(5)/O_(2) and Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO have distinct Type-II band alignments,with Ta_(3)N_(5) as the accumulator of photoinduced electrons in the former and the collector of photogenerated holes in the latter,respectively.The difference in charge density and electrostatic potential between two components acts as a driving force to promote the transfer of electrons and holes to different domains of the interface,which is beneficial to extend the lifetime of photoinduced carriers.Our results demonstrate that the function of Ta_(3)N_(5) in Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO_(3) photocatalytic system is determined by the termination property of KTaO_(3)(110)surface,which provides a likely reason of the observed photocatalytic activity of overall water splitting achieved by Ta_(3)N_(5) synthesized by using KTaO_(3) as a precursor for the nitridation reaction.展开更多
Rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)is vital for future renewable energy systems.The incorporation of foreign metal ions into catalysts can be an effective approach...Rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)is vital for future renewable energy systems.The incorporation of foreign metal ions into catalysts can be an effective approach to optimize its performance.However,there is a lack of systematic theoretical studies to reveal the quantitative relationships at the electronic level.Here,we develop a multi-level screening methodology to search for highly stable and active dopants for CoP catalysts.The density functional theory(DFT)calculations and symbolic regression(SR)were performed to investigate the relationship between the adsorption free energy(ΔG_(H^(*)))and 10 electronic parameters.The mathematic formulas derived from SR indicate that the difference of work function(ΔΦ)between doped metal and the acceptor plays the most important role in regulatingΔG_(H^(*)),followed by the d-band center(d-BC)of doped system.The descriptor of HER can be expressed asΔG_(H^(*))=1.59×√|0.188ΔΦ+d BC+0.120|1/2-0.166 with a high determination coefficient(R^(2)=0.807).Consistent with the theoretical prediction,experimental results show that the Al-CoP delivers superior electrocatalytic HER activity with a low overpotential of75 m V to drive a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),while the overpotentials for undoped CoP,Mo-CoP,and V-CoP are 206,134,and 83 m V,respectively.The current work proves that theΔΦis the most significant regulatory parameter ofΔG_(H^(*))for ion-doped electrocatalysts.This finding can drive the discovery of high-performance ion-doped electrocatalysts,which is crucial for electrocatalytic water splitting.展开更多
The electronic modulation characteristics of efficient metal phosphide electrocatalysts can be utilized to tune the performance of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).However,improving the overall water splitting performan...The electronic modulation characteristics of efficient metal phosphide electrocatalysts can be utilized to tune the performance of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).However,improving the overall water splitting performance remains a challenging task.By building metal organic framework(MOF)on MOF heterostructures,an efficient strategy for controlling the electrical structure of MOFs was presented in this study.ZIF-67 was in-situ synthesized on MIL-88(Fe)using a two-step self-assembly method,followed by low-temperature phosphorization to ultimately synthesize FeP-CoP_(3)bimetallic phosphides.By combining atomic orbital theory and theoretical calculations(density functional theory),the results reveal the successful modulation of electronic orbitals in FeP-CoP_(3)bimetallic phosphides,which are synthesized from MOF on MOF structure.The synergistic impact of the metal center Co species and the phase conjugation of both kinds of MOFs are responsible for this regulatory phenomenon.Therefore,the catalyst demonstrates excellent properties,demonstrating HER 81 mV(η10)in a 1.0 mol L^(−1)KOH solution and OER 239 mV(η50)low overpotentials.The FeP-CoP_(3)linked dual electrode alkaline batteries,which are bifunctional electrocatalysts,have a good electrocatalytic ability and may last for 50 h.They require just 1.49 V(η50)for total water breakdown.Through this technique,the electrical structure of electrocatalysts may be altered to increase catalytic activity.展开更多
Carbon nanofibers(CNFs)with high specific surface area show great potential for sodium storage as a hard carbon material.Herein,CNFs anchored with Ni nanoparticles(CNFs/Ni)were prepared through chemical vapor depositi...Carbon nanofibers(CNFs)with high specific surface area show great potential for sodium storage as a hard carbon material.Herein,CNFs anchored with Ni nanoparticles(CNFs/Ni)were prepared through chemical vapor deposition and impregnation reduction methods,in situ growing on the three-dimensional porous copper current collector(3DP-Cu).The coupling effect of high-spin state Ni nanopar-ticles leads to the increase of defect density and the expansion of lattice spacing of CNFs.Meanwhile,the 3DP-Cu ensures a high loading capacity of CNFs and short ion/electron transport channels.As an integral binder-free anode,the 3DP-Cu/CNFs/Ni exhibits excellent electrochemical performance,which demon-strates a high specific capacity with 298.5 mAh g^(-1)at 1000 mA g^(-1)after 1500 cycles,and a high power density with 200 mAh g^(-1)over 1000 cycles at 5000 mA g^(-1).Density functional theory calculation re-sults show that the high-spin state Ni regulates the electronic structure of CNFs,which significantly reduces the adsorption energy for Na^(+)(-2.7 Ev)and thus enables high-rate capability.The regulation of the electronic structure of carbon materials by high-spin state metal provides a new strategy for developing high-power carbonaceous anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.展开更多
A novel tetraethylenepentamine(TEPA) functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica adsorbent(FNMs/TEPA) was prepared for the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA)from wastewater. The characterization ...A novel tetraethylenepentamine(TEPA) functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica adsorbent(FNMs/TEPA) was prepared for the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA)from wastewater. The characterization of the prepared adsorbent certified that TEPA was modified onto the magnetic mesoporous silicon(FNMs), while FNMs/TEPA maintained the ordered mesoporous and pristine magnetic properties. The batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that TEPA significantly enhanced the removal capacity of the adsorbent for Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA. FNMs/TEPA exhibited an excellent adsorption property(13.84 mg·g-1) at p H 4.0. Even in the presence of high concentrations of coexisting ions and organic acids, the adsorption performance of FNMs/TEPA was stable. Experimental characterization and DFT demonstrated that the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA was ascribed to the electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and complexation between Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA and amino groups on the adsorbent surface. The analysis of the independent gradient model(IGM) shows that electrostatic interaction is the main mode of action in the adsorption process. Moreover, FNMs/TEPA demonstrated remarkable reusability in three regeneration cycles. These findings indicated that FNMs/TEPA possessed excellent application prospects in the disposal of wastewater containing Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA.展开更多
We used density functional theory(DFT)calculations to study the influence of alkali earth metal element(AE)doping on the crystal structure and electronic band structure ofα-Si3N4.The diversity of atomic radii of alka...We used density functional theory(DFT)calculations to study the influence of alkali earth metal element(AE)doping on the crystal structure and electronic band structure ofα-Si3N4.The diversity of atomic radii of alkaline earth metal elements results in structural expansion when they were doped into theα-Si3N4 lattice.Formation energies of the doped structures indicate that dopants prefer to occupy the interstitial site under the nitrogen-deficient environment,while substitute Si under the nitrogen-rich environment,which provides a guide to synthesizingα-Si3N4 with different doping types by controlling nitrogen conditions.For electronic structures,energy levels of the dopants appear in the bottom of the conduction band or the top of the valence band or the forbidden band,which reduces the bandgap ofα-Si3N4.展开更多
P-xylene(p-C_(8)H_(10))is extremely harmful and dangerous to human health due to high toxicity and strong carcinogenicity.Exploring sensitive material to effectively detect p-xylene is of importance.In this paper,pero...P-xylene(p-C_(8)H_(10))is extremely harmful and dangerous to human health due to high toxicity and strong carcinogenicity.Exploring sensitive material to effectively detect p-xylene is of importance.In this paper,perovskite single crystal(C_(4)H_(9)NH_(3))_(2)PbI_(4)has been successfully synthesized via solution method.The obtained product was analyzed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.With the space group Pbca,orthorhombic(C_(4)H_(9)NH_(3))_(2)PbI_(4)layered perovskite structure consists of an extended two-dimensional network of corner-sharing PbI_(6)octahedron.Single layer perovskite sheets of distorted PbI_(6)octahedron alternated with protonated n-butylammonium cation bilayers,which offers many advantages and provides the possibility of forming a gas sensor device based on the change of resistances.Density functional theory(DFT)simulations regarding the adsorption energy revealed that this organicinorganic hybrid perovskite compound has excellent selectivity toward p-xylene compared with other gases including C_(2)H_(5)OH,C_(6)H_(6),CH_(2)Cl_(2),HCHO,CH_(3)COCH_(3)and C_(7)H_(8).The calculation of electron density,density of states and electron density difference showed the sensing mechanism of p-C_(8)H_(10)is mainly derived from physical adsorption-desorption in view of electron transfer.展开更多
The plane wave pseudo-potential method was used to investigate the structural, electronic, and elastic properties of Cd Se_（1-x）Te_x in the zinc blende phase. It is observed that the electronic properties are improv...The plane wave pseudo-potential method was used to investigate the structural, electronic, and elastic properties of Cd Se_（1-x）Te_x in the zinc blende phase. It is observed that the electronic properties are improved considerably by using LDA ＋ U as compared to the LDA approach. The calculated lattice constants and bulk moduli are also comparable to the experimental results. The cohesive energies for pure Cd Se and Cd Te binary and their mixed alloys are calculated. The second-order elastic constants are also calculated by the Lagrangian theory of elasticity. The elastic properties show that the studied material has a ductile nature.展开更多
文摘The development of highly active DFT catalysts for an electrocatalytic N_(2)reduction reaction(NRR)under mild conditions is a difficult challenge.In this study,a series of atom‐pair catalysts(APCs)for an NRR were fabricated using transition‐metal(TM)atoms(TM=Sc−Zn)doped into g‐CN monolayers.The electrochemical mechanism of APCs for an NRR has been reported by well‐defined density functional theory calculations.The calculated limiting potentials were−0.47 and−0.78 V for the Fe_(2)@CN and Co_(2)@CN catalysts,respectively.Owing to its high suppression of hydrogen evolution reactions,Co_(2)@CN is a superior electrocatalytic material for a N_(2)fixation.Stable Fe_(2)@CN may be a strongly attractive material for an NRR with a relatively low overpotential after an improvement in the selectivity.The two‐way charge transfer affirmed the donation‐acceptance procedure between N_(2)and Fe_(2)@CN or Co_(2)@CN,which play a crucial role in the activation of inert N≡N bonds.This study provides an in‐depth investigation into atom‐pair catalysts and will open up new avenues for highly efficient g‐CN‐based nanostructures for an NRR.
文摘This paper studies supersonic jet-cooled 1-fluoronaphthalene （1FN） clusters by ultraviolet （UV） laser ionization at 281 nm in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The （1FN）＋ （n=1-3） series cluster ions are observed where the signal intensity decreases with increasing cluster size. The effects of sample inlet pressures and ionization laser fluxes to mass spectral distribution are measured. Using density functional theory calculations, it obtains a planar geometric structure of 1FN dimer which is combined through two hydrogen bonds. The mass spectra indicate that the intensity of 1FN trimer is much weaker than that of 1FN dimer and this feature is attributed to the fact that the dimer may form the first ＂shell＂ in geometric structure while the larger clusters are generated based on this fundamental unit.
基金Supported by the Key Project of Education Department of China under Grant No 211035the Science Foundation from Education Department of Liaoning Province under Grant No L2014445
文摘Arsenic can diffuse into high-κ dielectrics during OaAs-based metal oxide semiconductor transistor process, which causes the degradation of gate dielectrics. To explore the origins of the degradation, we employ nonlocal B3LYP hybrid functional to study arsenic related defects in ZrO2. Via band alignments between the OaAs and ZrO2, we are able to determine the defect formation energy in the GaAs relative to the ZrO2 band gap and assess how they will affect the device performance. Arsenic at the interstitial site serves as a source of positive fixed charge while at the oxygen or zirconium substitutional site changes its charge state within the band gap of GaAs. Moreover, it is found that arsenic related defects produce conduction band offset reduction and gap states, which will increase the gate leakage current.
文摘In this paper, we perform the density functional theory （DFT） -based calculations by the first-principles pseudopo- tential method to investigate the physical properties of the newly discovered superconductor LaRu2As2 for the first time. The optimized structural parameters are in good agreement with the experimental results. The calculated independent elas- tic constants ensure the mechanical stability of the compound. The calculated Cauchy pressure, Pugh＇s ratio as well as Poisson＇s ratio indicate that LaRu2As2 should behave as a ductile material. Due to low Debye temperature, LaRu2As2 may be used as a thermal barrier coating （TBC） material. The new compound should exhibit metallic nature as its valence bands overlap considerably with the conduction bands. LaRu2As2 is expected to be a soft material and easily machinable because of its low hardness value of 6.8 GPa. The multi-band nature is observed in the calculated Fermi surface. A highly anisotropic combination of ionic, covalent and metallic interactions is expected to be in accordance with charge density calculation.
基金This work was supported by Science Foundation Ireland （Principal Investigator grant No. 06/IN.1/191 and Research Frontiers Programme grant No. 07/ RFP/MASF185）. The authors wish to thank Trinity College High Performance Cluster, funded by the Higher Education Authority under the Program for Research in Third Level Institutes, for the use of their computing facilities.
文摘The growth of Fe nanoclusters oN the Ge（001） surface has been studied using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy （STM） and density functional theory （DFT） calculations. STM results indicate that Fe nucleates on the Ge（001） surface, forming well-ordered nanoclusters of uniform size. Depending on the preparation conditions, two types of nanoclusters were observed having either four or sixteen Fe atoms within a nanocluster. The results were confirmed by DFT calculations. Annealing the nanoclusters at 420 K leads to the formation of nanorow structures, due to cluster mobility at such temperature. The Fe nanoclusters and nanorow structures formed on the Ge（001） surface show a superparamagnetic behaviour as measured by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Number:U20A20107)the Western Light Young Scholars Project,Chinese Academy of Sciences(2022).
文摘Biochar has been extensively utilized to amend soil and mitigate greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions from croplands.However,the effectiveness of biochar application in reducing cropland GHG emissions remains uncertain due to variations in soil properties and environmental conditions across regions.In this study,the impact of biochar surface functional groups on soil GHG emissions was investigated using molecular model calculation.Machine learning(ML)technology was applied to predict the responses of soil GHG emissions and crop yields under different biochar feedstocks and application rates,aiming to determine the optimum biochar application strategies based on specific soil properties and environmental conditions on a global scale.The findings suggest that the functional groups play an essential role in determining biochar surface activity and the soil’s capacity for adsorbing GHGs.ML was an effective method in predicting the changes in soil GHG emissions and crop yield following biochar application.Moreover,poor-fertility soils exhibited greater changes in GHG emissions compared to fertile soil.Implementing an optimized global strategy for biochar application may result in a substantial reduction of 684.25 Tg year^(−1)CO_(2)equivalent(equivalent to 7.87%of global cropland GHG emissions)while simultaneously improving crop yields.This study improves our understanding of the interaction between biochar surface properties and soil GHG,confirming the potential of global biochar application strategies in mitigating cropland GHG emissions and addressing global climate degradation.Further research efforts are required to optimize such strategies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21473233,21403277)the Energy Technologies Institute LLP,UK~~
文摘Palladium oxide(PdOx)and cobalt oxide(Co3O4)are efficient catalysts for methane(CH4)combustion,and Pd‐doped Co3O4catalysts have been found to exhibit better catalytic activities,which suggest synergism between the two components.We carried out first‐principles calculations at the PBE+U level to investigate the Pd‐doping effect on CH4reactivity over the Co3O4catalyst.Because of the structural complexity of the Pd‐doped Co3O4catalyst,we built Pd‐doped catalyst models using Co3O4(001)slabs with two different terminations and examined CH4reactivity over the possible Pd?O active sites.A low energy barrier of0.68eV was predicted for CH4dissociation over the more reactive Pd‐doped Co3O4(001)surface,which was much lower than the0.98and0.89eV that was predicted previously over the more reactive pure Co3O4(001)and(011)surfaces,respectively.Using a simple model,we predicted CH4reaction rates over the pure Co3O4(001)and(011)surfaces,and Co3O4(001)surfaces with different amounts of Pd dopant.Our theoretical results agree well with the available experimental data,which suggests a strong synergy between the Pd dopant and the Co3O4catalyst,and leads to a significant increase in CH4reaction rate.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)funded by Ministry of Science and ICT(Nos.NRF-2019M3E6A1103984 and NRF-2019M3D1A1079214)。
文摘The role of additional ternary alloying elements on the performance of stationary TiFe-based hydrogen storage alloys was investigated based on first-principles density functional theory calculations.As a basic step for examinations,the site preference of each alloying element in the stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric B2TiFe compounds was clarified considering possible antisite defects.Based on the revealed site preference,the effect of various possible ternary elements on the hydrogen storage was examined by focusing on the formation enthalpies of TiFeH and TiFeH_(2) hydrides,which were closely related to the change in the location of plateaus in the pressure-composition-temperature curve.Several physical properties such as the volume expansion due to hydride formation were also examined to provide additional criteria for selecting optimum alloying conditions in future alloying design processes.Candidate alloying elements that maximize the grain boundary embrittlement due to the solute segregation were proposed for the enhanced initial activation of TiFe-based hydrogen storage alloys.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20151237)the Special Nano-technology of Suzhou(ZXG2013004)+2 种基金USTC-NSRL Association Fundingthe Collaborative Innovation Centre of Suzhou Nano Science and Technologythe Supercomputation Center of USTC
文摘The thermodynamic stability and lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 were studied with density functional theorical calculations. The results show that the formation free energy of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solution is slightly higher than that of the phase-separated mixture of LiFePO4 and LiMnPO4, and the two forms may co-exist in the actual LiFexMn1-xPO4 materials. The calculation manifests that the lithiated/delithiated potentials of LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solutions vary via the Mn/Fe ratio and the spatial arrangements of the transition metal ions, and the result is used to explain the shape of capacity-voltage curves. Experimentally, we have synthesized the LiFexMn1-xPO4 materials by solid-phase reaction method. The existence of the LiFexMn1-xPO4 solid solution is thought to be responsible for the appearance of additional capacity-voltage plateau observed in the experiment.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21061009)
文摘A supramolecular 1D ferromagnetic system was studied experimentally as well as theoretically.Hybrid density functional theory（DFT） calculations were based on the X-ray analysis.The results of DFT calculations and McConnell mechanism have contributed to the understanding of the factors governing the exchange coupling of magnetism in the crystal packing.Both the experimental evidence and theoretical calculation indicate that spin density in 2-iodo nitronyl nitroxide（INN） radicals confirms 1D ferromagnetic chain with inter-chain antiferromagnetic interaction.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52130101)the Project of Science and Technology Development Plan of Jilin Province in China(Nos.20210402058GH and 20220201114GX)。
文摘Sodium-sulfur(Na-S)batteries are believed as the hopeful energy storage and conversion techniques owing to the high specific capacity and low cost.Nevertheless,unstable sodium(Na)deposition/stripping of Na metal anode,low intrinsic conductivity of sulfur cathode,and severe shuttling effect of sodium polysulfides(NaPSs)pose significant challenges in the actual reversible capacity and cycle life of Na-S batteries.Herein,a self-supporting electrode made of nitrogen-doped carbon fiber embedded with cobalt nanoparticles(Co/NC-CF)is designed to load sulfur.Meanwhile,gel polymer electrolyte(GPE)with high ion transfer ability is obtained by in-situ polymerization inside the battery.During the polymerization process,an integrated electrode-electrolyte and a continuous ion-electron conduction network in a composite cathode are constructed inside the Na-S battery.It is noteworthy that the designed GPE demonstrates superior ionic conductivity and effective adsorption of NaPSs that can significantly suppress the shuttle effect.Leveraging the synergistic interplay between the designed GPE and self-supporting cathode,the assembled quasi-solid-state(QSS)Na-S battery exhibits great cycling stability.These experimental results are further corroborated by COMSOL Multiphysics simulations and density functional theory(DFT)calculations,which mechanistically validate the enhanced electrochemical performance.The findings of this study offer new and promising perspectives for advancing the development of nextgeneration solid-state batteries.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21872105,22072107)the Science&Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(19DZ2271500).
文摘Metal-air batteries,like Zn-air batteries(ZABs)are usually suffered from low energy conversion efficiency and poor cyclability caused by the sluggish OER and ORR at the air cathode.Herein,a novel bimetallic Co/CoFe nanomaterial supported on nanoflower-like N-doped graphitic carbon(NC)was prepared through a strategy of coordination construction-cation exchange-pyrolysis and used as a highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst.Experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal the formation of Co/CoFe heterostructure and synergistic effect between metal layer and NC support,leading to improved electric conductivity,accelerated reaction kinetics,and optimized adsorption energy for intermediates of ORR and OER.The Co/CoFe@NC exhibits high bifunctional activities with a remarkably small potential gap of 0.70 V between the half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of ORR and the potential at 10 mA cm^(-2)(E_(j=10))of OER.The aqueous ZAB constructed using this air electrode exhibits a slight voltage loss of only 60 mV after 550-cycle test(360 h,15 days).A sodium polyacrylate(PANa)-based hydrogel electrolyte was synthesized with strong water-retention capability and high ionic conductivity.The quasi-solid-state ZAB by integrating the Co/CoFe@NC air electrode and PANa hydrogel electrolyte demonstrates excellent mechanical stability and cyclability under different bending states.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province(Grant No.2019-ZD-0304)the Educational Department of Liaoning Province(Grant No.LJ2019009)+1 种基金Liaoning BaiQianWan Talents Program,Doctoral Start-up Foundation of Liaoning Province(Grant No.20170520231)the open fund of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics(Grant No.SKLMRDK202001),Chinese Academy of Sciences。
文摘The rational fabrication of heterostructures is one of efficient strategies for improving photocatalytic performance of semiconductor photocatalysts.Very recently,Domen and co-workers found that Ta_(3)N_(5) single crystals grown on the surface of KTaO_(3) can accomplish photocatalytic overall water splitting for the first time.In order to comprehend the underlying mechanism of this photocatalytic system,we have performed a systematic study based on density functional theory first-principles calculations.Ta_(3)N_(5)(010)/KTaO_(3)(110)slab models have been built according to experimental observations by considering two common terminations of KTaO_(3)(110)surface,named as Ta_(3)N_(5)/O_(2) and Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO.The formations of interfacial bonds are thermodynamically stable,showing a covalent interaction between two components of a heterostructure.Ta_(3)N_(5)/O_(2) has a higher mobility of photogenerated charge carriers and lower recombination rate of charge carriers than Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO.The light absorption of heterostructures displays the feature of KTaO_(3) in the short wavelength region and the characteristic of Ta_(3)N_(5) in the long wavelength region.The calculated band offsets show that Ta_(3)N_(5)/O_(2) and Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO have distinct Type-II band alignments,with Ta_(3)N_(5) as the accumulator of photoinduced electrons in the former and the collector of photogenerated holes in the latter,respectively.The difference in charge density and electrostatic potential between two components acts as a driving force to promote the transfer of electrons and holes to different domains of the interface,which is beneficial to extend the lifetime of photoinduced carriers.Our results demonstrate that the function of Ta_(3)N_(5) in Ta_(3)N_(5)/KTaO_(3) photocatalytic system is determined by the termination property of KTaO_(3)(110)surface,which provides a likely reason of the observed photocatalytic activity of overall water splitting achieved by Ta_(3)N_(5) synthesized by using KTaO_(3) as a precursor for the nitridation reaction.
基金Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21676216)the Special project of Shaanxi Provincial Education Department(20JC034)+1 种基金GHfund B(202202022563)Hefei Advanced Computing Center。
文摘Rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)is vital for future renewable energy systems.The incorporation of foreign metal ions into catalysts can be an effective approach to optimize its performance.However,there is a lack of systematic theoretical studies to reveal the quantitative relationships at the electronic level.Here,we develop a multi-level screening methodology to search for highly stable and active dopants for CoP catalysts.The density functional theory(DFT)calculations and symbolic regression(SR)were performed to investigate the relationship between the adsorption free energy(ΔG_(H^(*)))and 10 electronic parameters.The mathematic formulas derived from SR indicate that the difference of work function(ΔΦ)between doped metal and the acceptor plays the most important role in regulatingΔG_(H^(*)),followed by the d-band center(d-BC)of doped system.The descriptor of HER can be expressed asΔG_(H^(*))=1.59×√|0.188ΔΦ+d BC+0.120|1/2-0.166 with a high determination coefficient(R^(2)=0.807).Consistent with the theoretical prediction,experimental results show that the Al-CoP delivers superior electrocatalytic HER activity with a low overpotential of75 m V to drive a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),while the overpotentials for undoped CoP,Mo-CoP,and V-CoP are 206,134,and 83 m V,respectively.The current work proves that theΔΦis the most significant regulatory parameter ofΔG_(H^(*))for ion-doped electrocatalysts.This finding can drive the discovery of high-performance ion-doped electrocatalysts,which is crucial for electrocatalytic water splitting.
文摘The electronic modulation characteristics of efficient metal phosphide electrocatalysts can be utilized to tune the performance of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).However,improving the overall water splitting performance remains a challenging task.By building metal organic framework(MOF)on MOF heterostructures,an efficient strategy for controlling the electrical structure of MOFs was presented in this study.ZIF-67 was in-situ synthesized on MIL-88(Fe)using a two-step self-assembly method,followed by low-temperature phosphorization to ultimately synthesize FeP-CoP_(3)bimetallic phosphides.By combining atomic orbital theory and theoretical calculations(density functional theory),the results reveal the successful modulation of electronic orbitals in FeP-CoP_(3)bimetallic phosphides,which are synthesized from MOF on MOF structure.The synergistic impact of the metal center Co species and the phase conjugation of both kinds of MOFs are responsible for this regulatory phenomenon.Therefore,the catalyst demonstrates excellent properties,demonstrating HER 81 mV(η10)in a 1.0 mol L^(−1)KOH solution and OER 239 mV(η50)low overpotentials.The FeP-CoP_(3)linked dual electrode alkaline batteries,which are bifunctional electrocatalysts,have a good electrocatalytic ability and may last for 50 h.They require just 1.49 V(η50)for total water breakdown.Through this technique,the electrical structure of electrocatalysts may be altered to increase catalytic activity.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52271011,52102291).
文摘Carbon nanofibers(CNFs)with high specific surface area show great potential for sodium storage as a hard carbon material.Herein,CNFs anchored with Ni nanoparticles(CNFs/Ni)were prepared through chemical vapor deposition and impregnation reduction methods,in situ growing on the three-dimensional porous copper current collector(3DP-Cu).The coupling effect of high-spin state Ni nanopar-ticles leads to the increase of defect density and the expansion of lattice spacing of CNFs.Meanwhile,the 3DP-Cu ensures a high loading capacity of CNFs and short ion/electron transport channels.As an integral binder-free anode,the 3DP-Cu/CNFs/Ni exhibits excellent electrochemical performance,which demon-strates a high specific capacity with 298.5 mAh g^(-1)at 1000 mA g^(-1)after 1500 cycles,and a high power density with 200 mAh g^(-1)over 1000 cycles at 5000 mA g^(-1).Density functional theory calculation re-sults show that the high-spin state Ni regulates the electronic structure of CNFs,which significantly reduces the adsorption energy for Na^(+)(-2.7 Ev)and thus enables high-rate capability.The regulation of the electronic structure of carbon materials by high-spin state metal provides a new strategy for developing high-power carbonaceous anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22076111)Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi(2024GX-YBXM-427),China.
文摘A novel tetraethylenepentamine(TEPA) functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica adsorbent(FNMs/TEPA) was prepared for the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA)from wastewater. The characterization of the prepared adsorbent certified that TEPA was modified onto the magnetic mesoporous silicon(FNMs), while FNMs/TEPA maintained the ordered mesoporous and pristine magnetic properties. The batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that TEPA significantly enhanced the removal capacity of the adsorbent for Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA. FNMs/TEPA exhibited an excellent adsorption property(13.84 mg·g-1) at p H 4.0. Even in the presence of high concentrations of coexisting ions and organic acids, the adsorption performance of FNMs/TEPA was stable. Experimental characterization and DFT demonstrated that the adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA was ascribed to the electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and complexation between Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA and amino groups on the adsorbent surface. The analysis of the independent gradient model(IGM) shows that electrostatic interaction is the main mode of action in the adsorption process. Moreover, FNMs/TEPA demonstrated remarkable reusability in three regeneration cycles. These findings indicated that FNMs/TEPA possessed excellent application prospects in the disposal of wastewater containing Cr(Ⅲ)-EDTA.
基金Funded by National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2017YFB0310400)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51872217,51932006,51972246 and 51521001)+3 种基金Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology(Huazhong University of Science and Technology),the Joint Fund(No.6141A02022255)the Major Program of the Specialized Technological Innovation of HuBei Province,China(No.2019AFA176)the“111”Project(No.B13035)。
文摘We used density functional theory(DFT)calculations to study the influence of alkali earth metal element(AE)doping on the crystal structure and electronic band structure ofα-Si3N4.The diversity of atomic radii of alkaline earth metal elements results in structural expansion when they were doped into theα-Si3N4 lattice.Formation energies of the doped structures indicate that dopants prefer to occupy the interstitial site under the nitrogen-deficient environment,while substitute Si under the nitrogen-rich environment,which provides a guide to synthesizingα-Si3N4 with different doping types by controlling nitrogen conditions.For electronic structures,energy levels of the dopants appear in the bottom of the conduction band or the top of the valence band or the forbidden band,which reduces the bandgap ofα-Si3N4.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei(Nos.F2020202027 and F2020202067)the Major National Science and Technology Special Projects(No.2016ZX02301003-004-007)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21271139)the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin(No.17JCTPJC54500)。
文摘P-xylene(p-C_(8)H_(10))is extremely harmful and dangerous to human health due to high toxicity and strong carcinogenicity.Exploring sensitive material to effectively detect p-xylene is of importance.In this paper,perovskite single crystal(C_(4)H_(9)NH_(3))_(2)PbI_(4)has been successfully synthesized via solution method.The obtained product was analyzed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.With the space group Pbca,orthorhombic(C_(4)H_(9)NH_(3))_(2)PbI_(4)layered perovskite structure consists of an extended two-dimensional network of corner-sharing PbI_(6)octahedron.Single layer perovskite sheets of distorted PbI_(6)octahedron alternated with protonated n-butylammonium cation bilayers,which offers many advantages and provides the possibility of forming a gas sensor device based on the change of resistances.Density functional theory(DFT)simulations regarding the adsorption energy revealed that this organicinorganic hybrid perovskite compound has excellent selectivity toward p-xylene compared with other gases including C_(2)H_(5)OH,C_(6)H_(6),CH_(2)Cl_(2),HCHO,CH_(3)COCH_(3)and C_(7)H_(8).The calculation of electron density,density of states and electron density difference showed the sensing mechanism of p-C_(8)H_(10)is mainly derived from physical adsorption-desorption in view of electron transfer.
文摘The plane wave pseudo-potential method was used to investigate the structural, electronic, and elastic properties of Cd Se_（1-x）Te_x in the zinc blende phase. It is observed that the electronic properties are improved considerably by using LDA ＋ U as compared to the LDA approach. The calculated lattice constants and bulk moduli are also comparable to the experimental results. The cohesive energies for pure Cd Se and Cd Te binary and their mixed alloys are calculated. The second-order elastic constants are also calculated by the Lagrangian theory of elasticity. The elastic properties show that the studied material has a ductile nature.
