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At least 199 records · Page 11
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DOE OSTI2024

Molecular-level insights into CO 2 activation on Ni(111) from in situ infrared spectroscopy

The activation of CO 2 on nickel surfaces is the first step of various CO 2 conversion processes. Consequently, understanding the surface intermediates formed during this step and their adsorption sites is crucial for elucidating reaction mechanisms. In this study, we employ in situ infrared spectroscopy to investigate the interaction of 1 mbar CO 2 with a model Ni(111) catalyst between 25°C and 300°C. Under these conditions, CO 2 is activated via a direct dissociation into CO and atomic oxygen, while the oxidation state of the Ni(111) surface is primarily determined by residual H 2 and O 2 . The high surface coverage of CO and oxygen at ambient CO 2 pressure induces a competitive adsorption mechanism on the energetically favored hollow sites. This mechanism leads to a temperature-dependent distribution of CO between top and hollow sites, potentially explaining the effect of reaction conditions on the adsorption site of CO intermediates in CO 2 conversion reactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Proposed crystal structure of carbadox, C 11 H 10 N 4 O 4

A model for the crystal structure of carbadox has been generated and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Carbadox crystallizes in space groupP2 1 (#4) witha= 13.8155(3),b= 21.4662(1),c= 16.3297(3) Å,β= 110.0931(7)°,V= 4548.10(3) Å 3 , andZ= 16. The crystal structure is characterized by approximately parallel stacking of the eight independent carbadox molecules parallel to thebc-plane. There are two different molecular configurations of the eight carbadox molecules; five are in the lower-energy configuration and three are in a ~10% higher-energy configuration. This arrangement likely achieves the lowest-energy crystalline packing via hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonds link the molecules both within and between the planes. Each of the amino groups forms a N–H⋯O hydrogen bond to an oxygen atom of the 1,4-dioxidoquinoxaline ring system of another molecule. The result is four pairs of hydrogen-bonded molecules, which form rings with graph setR2,2(14). Variation in specimen preparation can affect the preferred orientation of particles considerably. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2024

Crystal structure of valbenazine, C 24 H 38 N 2 O 4

The crystal structure of valbenazine has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Valbenazine crystallizes in space groupP2 1 2 1 2 1 (#19) witha= 5.260267(17),b= 17.77028(7),c= 26.16427(9) Å,V= 2445.742(11) Å 3 , andZ= 4 at 295 K. The crystal structure consists of discrete molecules and the mean plane of the molecules is approximately (8,−2,15). There are no obvious strong intermolecular interactions. There is only one weak classical hydrogen bond in the structure, from the amino group to the ether oxygen atom. Two intramolecular and one intermolecular C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds also contribute to the lattice energy. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®)

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comprehensive Synthesis and Structural Trends in Tetramethyl Diglycolamide (TMDGA) Nitrate Complexes with Lanthanides and Americium

Complexes of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl diglycolamide (TMDGA), a hydrophilic diglycolamide (DGA) proposed as an aqueous phase holdback reagent, have been crystallized for the majority of the lanthanide series (excluding promethium), yttrium, and americium to deepen our structural understanding of trivalent metal ion (M 3+ ) DGA coordination compounds in the presence of nitrate counter-anions. The presented collection of 16 complexes with accompanying single-crystal structures, taking formulas [M(TMDGA) 3 ][M(NO 3 ) 6 ] (M = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Am), [M(TMDGA) 3 ][M(NO 3 ) 5 (H 2 O)] 1–x [M(NO 3 ) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ] x (NO 3 ) 1+x (M = Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb), [M(TMDGA) 3 ] 2 [M(NO 3 ) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ] 0.75 [M(NO 3 ) 5 (H 2 O)] 1.25 (NO 3 ) 2.75 ·H 2 O (M = Lu), and [M(TMDGA) 3 ][M(NO 3 ) 5 (H 2 O)](NO 3 )·CH 3 OH (M = Y) were all synthesized via solvent diffusion of reaction mixtures containing the metal nitrate M(NO 3 ) 3 ·nH 2 O and TMDGA. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of these new structures show that each TMDGA complex comprises of three TMDGA ligands coordinating the metal ion via carbonyl and etheric oxygen atoms forming [M(TMDGA) 3 ] 3+ cations. Spectroscopy measurements under high pressure displayed notable differences in the f → f transition shifting between that of Nd(III) and Am(III). Shifting of transitions by 2.0 nm were observed in Nd up to 8.50 ± 0.09 GPa, while Am saw shifting between 11.0 to 13.5 nm at pressures up to 20.06 ± 1.90 GPa. The local geometry in these complexes is a distorted spherical capped square antiprism (CSAPR-9) except for of the yttrium complex, which exhibits a distorted spherical tricapped trigonal prismatic (TCTPR-9) geometry. Further, the anions that form concomitantly with the TMDGA complexes are composed of hexanitrato species for the early lanthanide ions (lanthanum to samarium); whereas the remaining smaller lanthanides did not possess sufficiently large ionic radii to coordinate six bidentate nitrate anions, instead, one or two nitrate anions are situated in the outer sphere. The systematic progression of changes in the anionic environments of these complexes outlines the changing coordination habits afforded by the lanthanide contraction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Polyhedral Distortions and Unusual Magnetic Order in Spinel FeMn 2 O 4

Spinel compounds AB 2 X 4 consist of both tetrahedral (AX 4 ) and octahedral (BX 6) environments with the former forming a diamond lattice and the latter a geometrically frustrated pyrochlore lattice. Exploring the fascinating physical properties and their correlations with structural features is critical in understanding these materials. FeMn 2 O 4 has been reported to exhibit one structural transition and two successive magnetic transitions. In this work, we report the polyhedral distortions and their correlations to the structural and two magnetic transitions in FeMn 2 O 4 by employing the high-resolution neutron powder diffraction. The cation distribution is found to be ($Mn_{0.9}^{2+}Fe_{0.1}^{3+}$)$_{A}$($Mn^{3+}Fe_{0.9}^{3+}Mn_{0.1}^{2+}$)$_{B}$O 4 . While large trigonal distortion is found even in the high-temperature cubic phase, the first-order cubic-tetragonal structural transition associated with the elongation of both tetrahedra and octahedra with shared oxygen atoms along the c axis occurs at T S ≈ 750 K, driven by the Jahn–Teller effect of the orbital active B-site Mn 3+ cation. Strong magnetoelastic coupling is unveiled at T N1 ≈ 400 K as manifested by the appearance of Néel-type collinear ferrimagnetic order, an anomaly in both tetrahedral and octahedral distortions, as well as an anomalous decrease of the lattice constants c and a weak anomaly of a. Upon cooling to T N2 ≈ 65 K, it evolves to a noncollinear ferrimagnetic order accompanied by the different moments at the split magnetic sites B1 and B2. Only one-half of the B-site Mn 3+ /Fe 3+ spins, i.e., the B2-site spins in the pyrochlore lattice, are canted, which is a unique magnetic order among spinels. The canting angle between A-site and B2-site moments is ~25°, but the B1-site moment stays antiparallel to the A-site moment even at 10 K. This noncollinear order is accompanied by a modification of the O–B–O bond angles in the octahedra without significant change in lattice constants or tetrahedral/octahedral distortion parameters, indicating a distinct magnetoelastic coupling. We demonstrate distinct roles of the A-site and B-site magnetic cations in the structural and magnetic properties of FeMn 2 O 4 . Our study indicates that FeMn 2 O 4 is a wonderful platform to unveil interesting magnetic order and to investigate their correlations with polyhedral distortions and lattice.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structure Activity Relationship Approach toward the Improved Separation of Rare-Earth Elements Using Diglycolamides

The separation of adjacent lanthanides continues to be a challenge worldwide because of the similar physical and chemical properties of these elements and a necessity to advance the use of clean-energy applications. In this paper, a systematic structure–performance relationship approach toward understanding the effect of N-alkyl group characteristics in diglycolamides (DGAs) on the separation of lanthanides(III) from a hydrochloric acid medium is presented. In addition to the three most extensively studied DGA complexants [N,N,N',N'-tetra(n-octyl)diglycolamide, TODGA; N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-ethylhexyl)diglycolamide, TEHDGA; N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-di(n-octyl)diglycolamide, DMDODGA], 12 new extracting agents with varying substitution patterns were designed to study the interplay of steric and electronic effects that control rare-earth element extraction. Subtle changes in the structure around diglycolamide carbonyl oxygen atoms result in dramatic shifts in the lanthanide extraction strength and selectivity. The effects of the chain length and branching position of N-alkyl substituents in DGAs are elaborated on with the use of experimental, computational, and solution-structure characterization techniques.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Synthesis of an Isostructural Series of 12-Coordinate Lanthanide Nitrate Hybrid Double Perovskites with Cubic Symmetry

In efforts to study the periodic chemical properties of the rare earth elements and their structural chemistry, a hybrid double perovskite phase A 2 B'BX 6 with the formula ((CH 3 ) 4 N) 2 KLn(NO 3 ) 6 (Ln = La–Lu, Y ex. Pm) was synthesized that crystallizes in the cubic space group, $Fm$$\bar{3}$$m$. This series was obtained via evaporative crystallization from a mixture of Ln(NO 3 ) 3 , KNO 3 , and (CH 3 ) 4 N·NO 3 in a 1:1:2 ratio from either H 2 O or 4.0 M HNO 3 . In this double perovskite structure, the B site containing the lanthanide ion is coordinated by six bidentate nitrate ligands, with the distal N$=$O oxygen atoms coordinating the potassium on the B' site in an octahedral six-coordinate environment. The two-remaining charge-compensating (CH 3 ) 4 N + cations occupy the interstitial voids in the lattice on the A site. This periodic series was characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, IR, and Raman spectroscopy. Emission spectra of the Eu complex indicate a phase transition to trigonal symmetry upon cooling. In conclusion, this series is unique as it represents a rare isostructural series spanning the entirety of the rare earth elements excluding promethium with homoleptic 12-coordinate rare earth metal ions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ligand Control of Oxidation and Crystallographic Disorder in the Isolation of Hexavalent Uranium Mono-Oxo Complexes

Here, the development of high-valent transuranic chemistry requires robust methodologies to access and fully characterize reactive species. We have recently demonstrated that the reducing nature of imidophosphorane ligands supports the two-electron oxidation of U 4+ to U 6+ and established the use of this ligand to evaluate the inverse-trans-influence (ITI) in actinide metal-ligand multiple bond (MLMB) complexes. To extend this methodology and analysis to transuranic complexes, new small-scale synthetic strategies and lower-symmetry ligand derivatives are necessary to improve crys-tallinity and reduce crystallographic disorder. To this end, the synthesis of two new imidophosphorane ligands, [N=P t Bu(pip) 2 ]¯ (NPC 1 ) and [N=P t Bu(pyrr) 2 ]¯ (NPC 2 ) (pip = piperidinyl; pyrr = pyrrolidinyl) is presented, which break pseudo-C 3 axes in the tetravalent complexes, U[NPC 1 ] 4 and U[NPC 2 ] 4 . The reaction of these complexes with two-electron oxygen atom transfer reagents (N 2 O, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and 2,3:5,6-dibenzo-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (dbabhNO)) yields the U 6+ mono-oxo complexes U(O)[NPC 1 ] 4 and U(O)[NPC 2 ] 4 . This methodology is optimized for direct translation to transuranic elements. Of the two ligands, the NPC 2 framework is most suitable for facilitating detailed bonding analysis and assessment of the ITI. Theoretical evaluation of the U–(NPC) bonding confirms a substantial difference between axially and equatorially-bonded N atoms, revealing mark-edly more covalent U–N ax interactions. The U 6d+5f combined contribution for U–N ax is nearly double that of U–N eq , accounting for ITI shortening and increased bond order of the axial bond. Two distinct N-atom hybridizations in the pyrrolidine/piperidine rings are noted across the complexes, with approximate sp 2 and sp 3 configurations describing the slightly shorter P–N “planar” and slightly longer P–N “pyramidal” bonds, respectively. In all complexes, the NPC 2 ligands feature more planar N atoms than NPC 1 , in accordance with a higher electron-donating capacity of the former.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Coordination Chemistry and Photoluminescence of Sm(II) Dibenzo-24-crown-8 Complexes

Three Sm(II) dibenzo-24-crown-8 (db24c8) complexes were synthesized in anhydrous, air-free conditions via the reaction of SmI 2 with db24c8 and tetrabutylammonium tetraphenylborate ([TBA][BPh 4 ]; where needed) in acetonitrile (CH 3 CN), dimethoxyethane (DME), and tetrahydrofuran (THF) to yield [Sm(db24c8)(CH 3 CN) 2 ][BPh 4 ][I]·CH 3 CN, [Sm(db24c8)(DME)]I 2 , and [Sm(db24c8)(THF) 2 ]I 2 , respectively. In each case, a 10-coordinate, staggered dodecahedral (2:6:2) environment is formed around the Sm 2+ center that is completed by either two solvent molecules (CH 3 CN or THF) or one bidentate solvent molecule (DME). Inner-sphere solvent molecules can be excluded by reacting SmI 2 with db24c8 in 1:3 THF:toluene to yield Sm(db24c8)I 2 . Here, this molecule features a distorted, eight-coordinate, hexagonal pyramidal Sm 2+ metal center, where the coordinated db24c8 molecule shows a torsion angle unexpectedly close to the 180° antiperiplanar arrangement and two uncoordinated db24c8 oxygen atoms. Solution UV–vis–NIR measurements demonstrate that Sm 2+ is a good size match for the cavity of various db24c8 conformations and that Eu 2+ and Yb 2+ exhibit competition between acetonitrile solvation and the Eu 2+ and Yb 2+ /db24c8 complexes in solution. During excitation by 546 nm light, both [Sm(db24c8)(DME)]I 2 and [Sm(db24c8)(THF) 2 ]I 2 exhibit mixed 5d → 4f and 4f → 4f emission at 20 °C and exclusively 4f → 4f at −180 °C, whereas Sm(db24c8)I 2 only shows 5d → 4f emission regardless of temperature. Photoluminescence from [Sm(db24c8)(CH 3 CN) 2 ][BPh 4 ][I]·CH 3 CN is quenched.

Cations↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electroreduction-Driven Formation and Connectivity of Polyoxometalate Coordination Networks

We present the synthesis of metal oxide coordination networks based on Preyssler-type polyoxoanions ([NaP 5 W 30 O 110 ] 14– and [NaP 5 MoW 29 O 110 ] 14– ) bridged with metal–aquo complexes ([M(H 2 O) n ] m+ , M m+ = Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Zn 2+ , Y 3+ ), induced by electrochemical reduction. Networks bridged with first-row transition metals are isostructural with a previously reported Co-bridged structure, while the Y 3+ -bridged structure is new. All networks feature an uncommon binding motif of the metal cation to the oxygen atoms at cap positions, which we hypothesize is due to increased electron density at the cap upon reduction. Oxidation of a Zn 2+ -bridged network resulted in a new structure in which Zn 2+ –O cap bonds are lost, indicating the importance of reduction in the connectivity of these polyoxometalate-based coordination networks.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Elucidating the Location of Cd 2+ in Post-synthetically Treated InP Quantum Dots Using Dynamic Nuclear Polarization 31 P and 113 Cd Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Indium phosphide quantum dots (InP QD) are a promising alternative to traditional QD materials that contain toxic heavy elements such as lead and cadmium. However, InP QD obtained from colloidal synthesis are often plagued by poor photoluminescence quantum yields (PL-QYs). In order to improve the PL-QY of InP QD, a number of post-synthetic treatments have been devised. Recently, it has been shown that InP post-synthetically treated with Lewis acid metal divalent cations (M-InP) exhibit enhanced PL-QY; however, the molecular structure and mechanism behind the improved PL-QY are not fully understood. Here, to determine the surface structure of M-InP QD, dynamic nuclear polarization surface-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DNP SENS) experiments were employed on a series of InP magic size clusters treated with Cd ions, InP QD, cadmium phosphide (Cd 3 P 2 ) QD, and Cd-treated InP QD (Cd–InP QD). With the use of DNP SENS, we were able to obtain the 1D 31 P and 113 Cd NMR spectra, 113 Cd{ 31 P} rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR) NMR spectra, and 31 P{ 113 Cd} dipolar heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation (D-HMQC) sequence. Changes in the phosphide 31 P chemical shifts after Cd treatment provide indirect evidence that some Cd alloys into the sub-surface regions of the particle. DNP-enhanced 113 Cd solid-state NMR spectra suggest that most Cd ions are coordinated by oxygen atoms from either carboxylate ligands or surface phosphate groups. 113 Cd{ 31 P} REDOR and 31 P{ 113 Cd} D-HMQC experiments confirm that a subset of Cd ions are located on the surface of Cd–InP QD and coordinated with phosphate groups.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

NO Degradation on the Anatase TiO 2 (001) Surface in the Presence of Water

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to degrade to nitric acid (HNO 3 ) on anatase TiO2 facets under visible light irradiation in the presence of water. However, the exact role that water plays in this photoreaction is not fully understood. Here, by employing the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional tight binding (TD-DFTB), we show the viability of two suggested degradation pathways involving water. Both reaction pathways are triggered by a charge transfer excitation from the NO molecule to the TiO 2 surface. In one of them, NO interacts with dissociated water molecules adsorbed on the surface to form HONO + , whereas for the second pathway, NO is oxidized to NO 2 + by capturing one oxygen atom from the substrate. Both HONO and NO 2 are known byproducts in the photodegradation of NO, which further react with adsorbed water to finally produce HNO 3 . We also demonstrate by means of nudged elastic band calculations that these reactions are unlikely to happen without illumination.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Cation-Induced Disruption of the Local Structure of Water in Faujasite

Here, the changes in the structure of water confined in faujasite were resolved by a series of ab initio molecular dynamic simulations of explicit water molecules in faujasite with varying Si/Al ratio and counterions present. Radial distribution functions of water oxygen atom pairs, as well as counterions to Al pairs, were calculated to quantify the structure of water in faujasite and the distribution of counterions in the water-filled faujasite pores. Radial distribution functions reveal that confinement without counterions results in more water molecules hydrogen bound to each other. In hydrogen-exchanged faujasite, the increase in aluminum content led to the disruption of the confined water structure as charge-compensating protons dissociated from Al tetrahedra and entered the liquid water in the pores. In addition, a potential of mean force of proton transfer shows that protons are thermodynamically favored to be in the liquid water rather than bound on Al tetrahedra. Exchanged Na + and La 3+ counterions, which remain closer to Al tetrahedra in liquid water than H + , also disordered the confined water structure. Two La 3+ ions disrupted water less than did six Na + ions, suggesting that, for the alkali and lanthanide ions, the number of counterions in FAU has a larger effect on the structure of water than the charge of the ion itself.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Role of Anions in Stabilizing the [Zn–Al] Layered Double Hydroxides: A Thermodynamic Study

Here, room-temperature acid solution calorimetry, high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry, and low-temperature heat capacity measurements were employed to calculate the thermodynamic stabilities of the [Zn–Al–X] layered double hydroxides (LDH) containing different anions (X = Cl – , CO 3 2– , and SO 4 2– ). Cryogenic heat capacity measurements demonstrated a Schottky-type anomaly in the heat capacity of all three LDHs below 11 K. This anomaly is attributed to the tunneling of protons between adjacent oxygen atoms in the LDH interlayer as this creates an energy system similar to a two-level system modeled with a Schottky term. These heat capacity measurements were also used to determine vibrational entropies which, when combined with configurational entropies, provide standard entropies of these LDHs. Enthalpies of formation of LDHs from binary components were determined and combined with the entropies of formation to calculate Gibbs free energies. Based on these values, the order of stability is [Zn–Al–SO 4 ] > [Zn–Al–CO 3 ] > [Zn–Al–Cl]. This trend results from a combination of the interlayer spacing, amount of water in the interlayer, interactions among the interlayer species, and interactions between the metal hydroxide layer and the interlayer.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Deep and Shallow Gap States in Reduced and n-Type Doped m -ZrO 2

Monoclinic zirconium dioxide (m-ZrO 2 ) is a wide-band-gap functional oxide with many applications. Understanding the role of intrinsic defects and dopants is important for improving the properties of m-ZrO 2 relevant to its applications. In this work, we characterize the electronic states and energy levels of oxygen vacancies (VO’s) and n-type Nb, Ta, Rb, H, and F dopants in the bulk and at the majority (1̅11) surface of m-ZrO 2 , using accurate dielectric-dependent hybrid functional calculations. Our results show that VO’s generally behave as deep donors with the excess electrons localized at the vacant O sites in the form of F centers, in agreement with previous studies. In contrast, surface VO’s at two-fold coordinated oxygen sites show a rather shallow (1+/0) transition level. Shallow levels are also obtained for adsorbed hydrogen (H ads ) and fluorine substituting an oxygen atom (FO) either in the bulk or at the surface, whereas Nb and Ta form deep levels. Altogether, our results suggest that FO is the best candidate for realizing n-type conductivity in bulk m-ZrO 2 , while surface VO’s and Hads provide an efficient way to control the surface chemistry of m-ZrO 2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Proton Dissociation and Delocalization under Stepwise Hydration of Zeolite HZSM-5

The protonation behavior of zeolite Brønsted acid sites (BAS) in the presence of water is important for the performance of these widely used catalysts. Despite extensive study, the number of water molecules necessary for deprotonation is not well understood, in large part because experiments have been unable to access this information. In this work, we report experimental evidence for full deprotonation of the BAS in the presence of two or more water molecules, with a deprotonation energy of 1.6 kcal/mol. Linear IR absorption and 2D IR spectra were measured over a wide range of controlled hydration levels from 0.5 to 8.0 equivalents of H 2 O/Al at a constant temperature. Distinct spectral signatures of the protonated BAS and excess proton are identified, and their hydration dependence is analyzed quantitatively. Using the experiment as a benchmark, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are reported that reproduce the experimental trends in the protonation state and IR spectra. The proton charge position and delocalization are quantified in clusters of 1–8 H 2 O molecules using the recently developed rCEC method. This analysis provides insight into the proton structure in confined water clusters, showing that the excess charge remains relatively localized between two oxygen atoms across the hydration range.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Role of Undercoordinated Sites for the Catalysis in Confined Spaces Formed by Two-Dimensional Material Overlayers

Adding a two-dimensional (2D) overlayer on a metal surface is a promising route for activating reactants confined in the interfacial space. However, an atomistic understanding of the role played by undercoordinated sites of the 2D overlayer in the activation of molecules in this nanoscaled confined space is yet to be developed. In this paper, we study CO dissociation as a prototypical reaction to investigate CO activation in the confined space enclosed by Rh(111) and a monolayer of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The effect of the space size (i.e., the distance between h-BN and the metal surface), the type of undercoordinated sites, and the size of the defect are explicitly studied by density functional theory with dispersion correction. The following temperature-programmed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement suggests that a small portion of the CO dissociated during the desorption, leaving the residual atomic oxygen incorporated into the h-BN lattice, which validates the theoretical prediction. Finally, the combination of theory and experiment calls for further attention to be paid to the role of undercoordinated sites in the 2D overlayers in confined systems forming potential new catalytic environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Corrosion and Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution in Electrochemical Reduction of Ammonium Carbamate on Transition Metal Surfaces

Experiments and theory are combined to search for catalyst activity and stability descriptors for the direct reactive capture and conversion (RCC) of CO 2 in ammonia capture solutions using Cu, Ag, Au, Sn, and Ti electrodes. Two major phenomena emerge in RCC that are not predominant in the electrochemical CO 2 reduction (CO 2 R) reaction, namely, the rapid corrosion and restructuring of the catalyst in the presence of the CO 2 -ammonia adducts and the promotion of the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The prevalence of HER in RCC is correlated to the electrostatic attraction of the protonated amine to the electrode and the repulsion of the captured CO 2 , using the potential of zero charge (PZC). The stability of catalysts under RCC conditions is a function of the applied potential and cannot be readily predicted using binding energy descriptors commonly used in the prediction of CO 2 R activity. Finally, a direct correlation between calculated binding energies of CO 2 R intermediates, atomic oxygen, hydrogen, and ammonia and the activity and stability of transition metals for RCC cannot be found, highlighting the need for descriptors beyond those known for CO 2 R.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗