Molecular oxygen adsorption on electropositive nano gold tips

Altering CO binding on gold cluster cations by Pd-doping

The introduction of dopant atoms into metal nanoparticles is an effective way to control the interaction with adsorbate molecules and is important in many catalytic processes. In this work, experimental and theoretical evidence of the influence of Pd doping on the bonding between small cationic AuN+ clusters and CO is presented. The CO adsorption is studied by combining low-pressure collision cell reactivity and infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy experiments with density functional theory calculations. Measured dissociation rates of cluster-CO complexes (N ≤ 21) allow the estimation of cluster-CO binding energies, showing that Pd doping increases the CO adsorption energy to an extent that is size-dependent. These trends are reproduced by theoretical calculations up to N = 13. In agreement with theory, measurements of the C-O vibrational frequency suggest that for the doped PdAuN-1+ (N = 3-5, 11) clusters, CO adsorbs on an Au atom, while for N = 6-10 and N = 12-14, CO interacts directly with the Pd dopant. A pronounced red-shifting of the C-O vibrational frequency is observed when CO interacts directly with the Pd dopant, indicating a significant back-donation of electron charge from Pd to CO. In contrast, the blue-shifted frequencies, observed when CO interacts with an Au atom, indicate that σ-donation dominates the Au-CO interaction. Studying such systems at the sub-nanometre scale enables a fundamental comprehension of the interactions between adsorbates, dopants and the host (Au) species at the atomic level.

Nanophase Segregation of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold Nanoparticles

Nanophase segregation of a bicomponent thiol self-assembled monolayer is predicted using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and experimentally confirmed. The simulations suggest the formation of domains rich in acid-terminated chains, on one hand, and of domains rich in amide-functionalized ethylene glycol oligomers, on the other hand. In particular, within the amide-ethylene glycol oligomers region, a key role is played by the formation of interchain hydrogen bonds. The predicted phase segregation is experimentally confirmed by the synthesis of 35 and 15 nm gold nanoparticles functionalized with several binary mixtures of ligands. An extensive study by transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography, using silica selective heterogeneous nucleation on acid-rich domains to provide electron contrast, supports simulations and highlights patchy nanoparticles with a trend toward Janus nano-objects depending on the nature of the ligands and the particle size. These results validate our computational platform as an effective tool to predict nanophase separation in organic mixtures on a surface and drive further exploration of advanced nanoparticle functionalization.

Influence of external electric field on the electronic structure and optical properties of pyrite

Optical properties change with the application of electric field on the pyrite crystal.

Density functional theory study of CO-induced segregation in gold-based alloys

This paper reports a systematic study of the effect of CO gas on the chemical composition at the surface of gold-based alloys. Using DFT periodic calculations in presence of adsorbed CO the segregation behavior of group 9-10-11 transition metals (Ag, Cu, Pt, Pd, Ni, Ir, Rh, Co) substituted in semi-infinite gold surfaces is investigated. Although, CO is found to be more strongly adsorbed on (100) than on the (111) surface, the segregation of M impurities is found to be more pronounced on the (111) surface. The results reveal two competitive effects: the effect of M on CO and the effect of CO on M. Thus, on one hand, if M exists on the (100) gold facet, CO would be strongly adsorbed on it. But if M is initially located in the bulk, it would segregate to the (111) facet instead of the (100) in order to bind to CO.

Characterization of molybdenum monomeric oxide species supported on hydroxylated silica: a DFT study

Periodic DFT calculations have been performed on molybdenum(VI) oxide species supported on the hydroxylated amorphous silica surface. The Mo grafting site has been investigated systematically for the type of silanol (geminate, vicinal, isolated or in a nest) accessible on the surface, as well as its effect on H-bond formation and stabilization, with the Mo-oxide species. Different grafting geometries, combined with different degrees of hydration of the Mo species are investigated using atomistic thermodynamics. The most stable Mo(VI) oxide species resulting from these calculations are confronted with experiment. Finally, calculated vibrational frequencies confirm the experimental evidence of the dominant presence of di grafted di-oxo Mo(VI) species on silica up to 700 K.

Effect of coverage and defects on the adsorption of propanethiol on Au(111) surface: a theoretical study

Periodic density functional calculations have been carried out to investigate both the thiol adsorption on Au(111) surface and the reaction mechanism for the formation of the self-assembled monolayers, taking propanethiol as a representative example. The effect of coverage and surface defects (adatoms and vacancies) has been analyzed. It is found that the most stable physisorption (undissociated) site is an adatom site, whereas the chemisorption site for the thiol is a vacancy site or protrusion consisting of a pair of adatoms, followed by one adatom site. The results point out that the thiolate self-assembled monolayer adsorption process occurs preferentially on step edges.

CO oxidation on electrically charged gold nanotips

We report a study of the oxidation of CO on a gold nanotip in the presence of high electrostatic fields. With the binding energies obtained using density functional theory as a function of the electric field, a simple field-dependent kinetic model based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism is set up. We show that the dissociative adsorption of oxygen on gold happens only below a negative critical value of the electric field while the binding of CO on gold is enhanced for positive values. We explain the propagation of a wave observed in field ion microscopy experiments and predict that the oxidation of CO occurs on negatively charged gold clusters.