1
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Meng J, Zheng P, Peng Y, Liu R, Yang Y, Yin Z. Structure searches and superconductor discovery in XB 2 (X = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, and Tc). RSC Adv 2024; 14:10507-10515. [PMID: 38567342 PMCID: PMC10985594 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08746h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
With extensive structure searches for XB2 (X = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, and Tc) under pressures up to 100 GPa, we uncovered that the crystal structures of these compounds with the lowest enthalpy have the same space group (P6/mmm) as MgB2 at ambient pressure. Among them, ScB2, TiB2 and VB2 are dynamically stable at ambient pressure, but they do not superconduct. CrB2 becomes dynamically stable at 108 GPa and shows superconductivity with a transition temperature (Tc) of 26.0 K. TcB2 is not dynamically stable until 9 GPa. At 20 GPa, it has a Tc of 23.5 K. Further calculations indicate that CrB2 and TcB2 are also thermodynamically stable, suggesting that it is highly likely that they can be synthesized successfully in the laboratory. We found that transition metal atoms (Cr/Tc) dominate soft phonon vibrations and make significant contributions to the electron-phonon coupling (EPC) and superconductivity in CrB2/TcB2, which is in strong contrast to the case of MgB2, where high-frequency B vibrations dominate the EPC and superconductivity. Our work enriches the understanding of superconductivity in transition metal borides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Meng
- Department of Physics, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
| | - Pengyu Zheng
- Department of Physics, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
| | - Yiran Peng
- Department of Physics, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of Physics, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Physics, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
| | - Zhiping Yin
- Department of Physics, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
- Key Laboratory of Multiscale Spin Physics, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
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2
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Rout CS, Shinde PV, Patra A, Jeong SM. Recent Developments and Future Perspectives of Molybdenum Borides and MBenes. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2308178. [PMID: 38526182 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Metal borides have received a lot of attention recently as a potentially useful material for a wide range of applications. In particular, molybdenum-based borides and MBenes are of great significance, due to their remarkable properties like good electronic conductivity, considerable stability, high surface area, and environmental harmlessness. Therefore, in this article, the progress made in molybdenum-based borides and MBenes in recent years is reviewed. The first step in understanding these materials is to begin with an overview of their structural and electronic properties. Then synthetic technologies for the production of molybdenum borides, such as high-temperature/pressure methods, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), element reaction route, molten salt-assisted, and selective etching methods are surveyed. Then, the critical performance of these materials in numerous applications like energy storage, catalysis, biosensors, biomedical devices, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and tribology and lubrication are summarized. The review concludes with an analysis of the current progress of these materials and provides perspectives for future research. Overall, this review will offer an insightful reference for the understanding molybdenum-based borides and their development in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Sekhar Rout
- Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain Global Campus, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Kanakapura Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, 562112, India
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Pratik V Shinde
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, Mestre, 30172, Italy
| | - Abhinandan Patra
- Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain Global Campus, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Kanakapura Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, 562112, India
| | - Sang Mun Jeong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea
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3
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Kistanov AA, Ustiuzhanina SV, Baranava MS, Hvazdouski DC, Shcherbinin SA, Prezhdo OV. Prediction of Zn 2(V, Nb, Ta)N 3 Monolayers for Optoelectronic Applications. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:11134-11141. [PMID: 38052040 PMCID: PMC10726353 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
A new family of ternary nitride materials, Zn2(V, Nb, Ta)N3 monolayers, is predicted. A fabrication mechanism of the Zn2(V, Nb, Ta)N3 monolayers is proposed based on the chemical vapor deposition approach used for their bulk counterparts. The calculations show that these monolayers are thermodynamically and environmentally stable and that the Zn2VN3 monolayer is the most stable and the easiest to synthesize. The Zn2VN3 monolayer also has the highest strength and elasticity. The Zn2(V, Nb, Ta)N3 monolayers are semiconductors with nearly equal direct and indirect band gaps. Considering optoelectronic properties, the predicted monolayers are transparent to the visible light and provide shielding in the ultraviolet region. Thus, the predicted Zn2(V, Nb, Ta)N3 monolayers are promising for applications in LED devices and as blocking layers in tandem solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey A. Kistanov
- The
Laboratory of Metals and Alloys Under Extreme Impacts, Ufa University of Science and Technology, Ufa 450076, Russia
| | | | - Maryia S. Baranava
- Belarusian
State University of Informatics and Radio Electronics, Minsk 22013, Belarus
| | | | - Stepan A. Shcherbinin
- Peter
the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnical University, Saint Petersburg 195251, Russia
- Institute
for Problems in Mechanical Engineering RAS, Saint Petersburg 199178, Russia
| | - Oleg V. Prezhdo
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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4
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Kistanov AA, Shcherbinin SA, Korznikova EA, Prezhdo OV. Prediction and Characterization of Two-Dimensional Zn 2VN 3. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:1148-1155. [PMID: 36705575 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A two-dimensional (2D) monolayer of a novel ternary nitride Zn2VN3 is computationally designed, and its dynamical and thermal stability is demonstrated. A synthesis strategy is proposed based on experimental works on production of ternary nitride thin films, calculations of formation and exfoliation energies, and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. A comprehensive characterization of 2D Zn2VN3, including investigation of its optoelectronic and mechanical properties, is conducted. It is shown that 2D Zn2VN3 is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 2.75 eV and a high work function of 5.27 eV. Its light absorption covers visible and ultraviolet regions. The band gap of 2D Zn2VN3 is found to be well tunable by applied strain. At the same time 2D Zn2VN3 possesses high stability against mechanical loads, point defects, and environmental impacts. Considering the unique properties found for 2D Zn2VN3, it can be used for application in optoelectronic and straintronic nanodevices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey A Kistanov
- The Laboratory of Metals and Alloys Under Extreme Impacts, Ufa University of Science and Technology, 450076Ufa, Russia
| | - Stepan A Shcherbinin
- Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnical University, 195251Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Institute for Problems in Mechanical Engineering RAS, 199178Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena A Korznikova
- The Laboratory of Metals and Alloys Under Extreme Impacts, Ufa University of Science and Technology, 450076Ufa, Russia
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California90089, United States
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5
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Si J, Yu J, Lan H, Niu L, Luo J, Yu Y, Li L, Ding Y, Zeng M, Fu L. Chemical Potential-Modulated Ultrahigh-Phase-Purity Growth of Ultrathin Transition-Metal Boride Single Crystals. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3994-4002. [PMID: 36706380 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal borides (TMBs) are especially expected to exhibit excellent performance in various fields among electricity, superconductivity, magnetism, mechanics, biotechnology, battery, and catalysis. However, the synthesis of ultrathin TMB single crystals with ultrahigh phase purity was deemed extremely challenging and has not been realized till date. That is because TMBs have the most kinds of crystal structures among inorganic compounds, which possess generous phase structures with similar formation energies compared with other transition-metal compounds, attributing to the metalloid and electron-deficient characteristics of boron. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate a chemical potential-modulated strategy to realize the precise synthesis of various ultrahigh-phase-purity (approximately 100%) ultrathin TMB single crystals, and the precision in the phase formation energy can reach as low as 0.01 eV per atom. The ultrathin MoB2 single crystals exhibit an ultrahigh Young's modulus of 517 GPa compared to other 2D materials. Our work establishes a chemical potential-modulated strategy to synthesize ultrathin single crystals with ultrahigh phase purity, especially those with similar formation energies, and undoubtedly provides excellent platforms for their extensive research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Si
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jinqiu Yu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Haihui Lan
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lixin Niu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jingrui Luo
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yantao Yu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Linyang Li
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yu Ding
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Mengqi Zeng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lei Fu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- The Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
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6
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Zhang J, Wang Y, Tang L, Duan J, Wang J, Li S, Ju M, Sun W, Jin Y, Zhang C. Exploring high pressure structural transformations, electronic properties and superconducting properties of MH2 (M = Nb, Ta). ARAB J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.104347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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7
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Geng L, Jia Y, Zhang H, Cui C, Luo Z. Plasma-Assisted Dinitrogen Activation on Small Cobalt Clusters: Co 4 N 9 + with Enhanced Stability. Chemphyschem 2022; 23:e202200288. [PMID: 35689533 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
We have performed a study on the accommodation of nitrogen doping toward superatomic states of transition metal clusters. By reacting cobalt clusters with N2 in the presence of plasma radiation, a large number of odd-nitrogen clusters were observed, typically Co3 N2m-1 + (m=1-5) and Co4 N2m-1 + (m=1-6) series, showing N≡N bond cleavage in the mild plasma atmosphere. Interestingly, the Co3 N7 + , Co4 N9 + , and Co5 N9 + clusters exhibit prominent mass abundances. First-principles calculation results elucidate the stability of the diverse cobalt nitride clusters and find unique stability of Co4 N9 + with a swallow-kite structure of which four coordinated N2 molecules causes a significantly enlarged HOMO-LUMO gap, while the single N atom doping gives rise to superatomic states of 1S2 1P3 ||1D0 . We reveal an efficient dinitrogen activation strategy by reacting multiple N2 molecules with cobalt clusters under a plasma atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Geng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yuhan Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Hanyu Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Chaonan Cui
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Zhixun Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China.,School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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8
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Carlsson A, Rosen J, Dahlqvist M. Theoretical predictions of phase stability for orthorhombic and hexagonal ternary MAB phases. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:11249-11258. [PMID: 35481473 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05750b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In the quest for finding novel thermodynamically stable, layered, MAB phases promising for synthesis, we herein explore the phase stability of ternary MAB phases by considering both orthorhombic and hexagonal crystal symmetries for various compositions (MAB, M2AB2, M3AB4, M4AB4, and M4AB6 where M = Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, and Co, A = Al, Ga, and In, and B is boron). The thermodynamic stability of seven previously synthesized MAB phases is confirmed, three additional phases are predicted to be stable, and 23 phases are found to be close to stable. Furthermore, the crystal symmetry preference for forming orthorhombic or hexagonal crystal structures is investigated where the considered Al-based MAB phases tend to favour orthorhombic structures whereas Ga- and In-based phases in general prefer hexagonal structures. The theoretically predicted stable MAB phases along with the structural preference is intended to both guide experimental efforts and to give an insight into the stability for different crystal symmetries of MAB phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Carlsson
- Materials Design, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Johanna Rosen
- Materials Design, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Martin Dahlqvist
- Materials Design, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
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9
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Jia Y, Li J, Huang M, Geng L, Zhang H, Cheng SB, Yi Y, Luo Z. Ladder Oxygenation of Group VIII Metal Clusters and the Formation of Metalloxocubes M 13O 8. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:733-739. [PMID: 35025527 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c04098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of valence and bonding of transition metals makes their oxidation processes perplexing at reduced sizes. Here we report a comprehensive study on the oxidation reactions of rhodium clusters Rhn± (n = 3-30) and find that Rh3,4O4+, Rh5-7O6+, and Rh8-13O8+ always dominate the mass distributions showing size-dependent ladder oxygenation which is closely associated with the O-binding modes. While the Rh8-13O8+ clusters display a μ3-O binding mode (hollow site adsorption), Rh3-4O4+ and Rh5-7O6+ favor the μ2-O binding mode (edge-site adsorption) or a mixture of the two modes. The μ3-O binding mode is inclined to yield a cubic Rh13O8, while the μ2-O binding mode gives rise to oxygen-bridge protection for the metal clusters. Such ladder oxidation was also observed for Ptn+, Fen+, Con+, and Nin+ clusters. We propose a three-dimensional diagram for the oxidation states and O-binding modes of metals, and highlight the metalloxocubes M13O8+ for cluster-genetic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Miaofei Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Geng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Hanyu Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Shi-Bo Cheng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Yuanping Yi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Zhixun Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
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10
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Zhang J, Jin Y, Zhang C, Wang Y, Tang L, Li S, Ju M, Wang J, Sun W, Dou X. The crystal structures, phase stabilities, electronic structures and bonding features of iridium borides from first-principles calculations. RSC Adv 2022; 12:11722-11731. [PMID: 35432946 PMCID: PMC9008517 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra01593e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We present results of an unbiased structure search for the lowest energy crystalline structures of various stoichiometric iridium borides, using first-principles calculations combined with particle swarm optimization algorithms. As a result, besides three stable phases of C2/m-Ir3B2, Fmm2-Ir4B3, and Cm-Ir4B5, three promising metastable phases, namely, P21/m-Ir2B, P21/m-IrB, and Pnma-Ir3B4, whose energies are within 20 meV per atom above the convex hull curve, are also identified at ambient pressure. The high bulk modulus of 301 GPa, highest shear modulus of 148 GPa, and smallest Poisson's ratio of 0.29 for C2/m-Ir3B2 make it a promising low compressible material. C2/m-Ir3B2 is predicted to possess the highest Vickers hardnesses, with a Vickers hardness of 13.1 GPa and 19.4 GPa based on Chen's model and Mazhnik-Oganov's model respectively, and a high fracture toughness of 5.17 MPa m0.5. The anisotropic indexes and the three-dimensional surface constructions of Young's modulus indicate that Ir–B compounds are anisotropic with the sequence of the elastic anisotropy of Ir2B > IrB > Ir4B5 > Ir3B4 > Ir4B3 > Ir3B2. Remarkably, these iridium borides are all ductile. We further find that the four Ir–B phases of P21/m-Ir2B, C2/m-Ir3B2, P21/m-IrB, and Fmm2-Ir4B3 possess dominant Ir–B covalent bonding character, while strong B–B and Ir–B covalent bonds are present in Cm-Ir4B5 and Pnma-Ir3B4, which are responsible for their excellent mechanical properties. We mainly probe into phase stabilities, structural characters, elastic anisotropy and bonding features of the iridium borides under ambient pressure.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinquan Zhang
- Department of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Yuanyuan Jin
- Department of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Chuanzhao Zhang
- Department of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Yanqi Wang
- Department of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Libiao Tang
- Department of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Song Li
- Department of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Meng Ju
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- College of Computer and Information Engineering, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
| | - Weiguo Sun
- College of Physics and Electronic Information, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang 471022, China
| | - Xilong Dou
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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11
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Lei X, Zhang H, Jia Y, Luo Z. Gas-phase preparation and the stability of superatomic Nb 11O 15. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:15766-15773. [PMID: 34286767 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02128a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report a study of the reactions of pure metal clusters Nbn- with dioxygen in the gas phase. It is found that the presence of low-concentration dioxygen reactants results in oxygen-addition products, whereas sufficient high-concentration dioxygen enables oxygen-etching reactions giving rise to molecular niobium oxides. Interestingly, in the presence of a suitable gas flow rate of an intermediate dioxygen concentration, a highly selective product Nb11O15- shows up in the mass spectra. Utilizing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have discussed the reactivities of Nbn- (3 ≤ n ≤ 14) clusters with oxygen, and unveiled the reasonable stability of Nb11O15- pertaining to its unique geometric structure with a D5h Nb@Nb10 core fully protected by 15 bridge-oxygen atoms. The oxygen-passivated Nb@Nb10O15- cluster exhibits a large HOMO-LUMO gap (1.46 eV) and effective multicenter bonds with remarkable superatom orbitals for all the 26 valence electrons of the Nb@Nb10 core corresponding to well-staggered energy levels. We illustrate the superatomic features in the Nb@Nb10 metallic core for which the adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP) analysis unveils thirteen 11c-2e bonds. Among them, one of the 11c-2e bonds accounts for the superatomic S orbital, three bonds correspond to superatomic P orbitals, another five display vivid D orbital characteristics, and the remaining four 11c-2e bonds are assigned to F orbital features. In addition, the net atomic charge of the center Nb atom is as high as -0.804 |e| rendering core-shell electrostatic interactions and the shielding effect of the Nb10O15 shell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Lei
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Hanyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Yuhan Jia
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhixun Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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12
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Liang H, Li Q, Chen C. Atomistic Mechanisms for Contrasting Stress-Strain Relations of B 13CN and B 13C 2. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:10454-10462. [PMID: 33269938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Boron-rich compounds comprise intricate bonding structures and possess excellent mechanical properties. Here, we report on a comparative study of B13CN and B13C2, which are isostructural but differ in electron fillings, with the former being electron-precise and the latter electron-deficient. Our results show that the different electron fillings in B13CN and B13C2 have profound effects on the bonding features despite their shared crystal structure, generating distinct structural deformation modes and the accompanying stress responses under diverse loading strain conditions. The most striking phenomena include a creeplike stress response under a tensile strain and superior strength under the vast majority of loading conditions for B13CN compared to B13C2. Such enhanced stability of the B12 icosahedra in B13CN by N-induced electron compensation may be effective for structural and mechanical enhancement of other boron-rich compounds and offers improved understanding of a broader class of covalent crystals with complex bonding networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Liang
- International Center for Computational Method and Software, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, International Center of Future Science, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, and Department of Materials Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Quan Li
- International Center for Computational Method and Software, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, International Center of Future Science, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, and Department of Materials Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Changfeng Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, United States
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13
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Cui C, Jia Y, Zhang H, Geng L, Luo Z. Plasma-Assisted Chain Reactions of Rh 3+ Clusters with Dinitrogen: N≡N Bond Dissociation. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:8222-8230. [PMID: 32902294 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dinitrogen activation is known as one of the most challenging subjects in chemistry. A number of well-defined metal complexes, nitrides, and clusters have been studied that show catalysis for dinitrogen activation. However, direct evidence of a complete cleavage of the N≡N triple bond at mild conditions is rather limited to date. Herein, we report a study on the dissociation of N2 on small rhodium clusters assisted by surface plasma radiation. From mass spectrometry observation, a few rhodium nitride clusters with an odd number of nitrogen atoms are produced, such as the Rh3N2m-1+ (m = 1-5) series, indicative of N≡N bond dissociation in the mild plasma atmosphere. Interestingly, Rh3N7+ is identified with outstanding mass abundance among the RhnN2m-1+ products, and its ground-state structure is in the form of Rh3N(N2)3+ by capping a nitrogen atom on the top of Rh3+ plane and hanging three N2 molecules beneath the three Rh atoms respectively, giving rise to a C3v symmetry and excellent stability. We demonstrate the catalysis of such a three-atom rhodium cluster and reveal a dinitrogen activation strategy by thermodynamics- and dynamics- favorable chain reactions of multiple N2 molecules with two rhodium clusters under plasma atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaonan Cui
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Yuhan Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
| | - Hanyu Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Lijun Geng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Zhixun Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
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14
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Kvashnin AG, Rybkovskiy DV, Filonenko VP, Bugakov VI, Zibrov IP, Brazhkin VV, Oganov AR, Osiptsov AA, Zakirov AY. WB 5- x : Synthesis, Properties, and Crystal Structure-New Insights into the Long-Debated Compound. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2020; 7:2000775. [PMID: 32832351 PMCID: PMC7435258 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202000775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The recent theoretical prediction of a new compound, WB5, has spurred the interest in tungsten borides and their possible implementation in industry. In this research, the experimental synthesis and structural description of a boron-rich tungsten boride and measurements of its mechanical properties are performed. The ab initio calculations of the structural energies corresponding to different local structures make it possible to formulate the rules determining the likely local motifs in the disordered versions of the WB5 structure, all of which involve boron deficit. The generated disordered WB4.18 and WB4.86 models both perfectly match the experimental data, but the former is the most energetically preferable. The precise crystal structure, elastic constants, hardness, and fracture toughness of this phase are calculated, and these results agree with the experimental findings. Because of the compositional and structural similarity with predicted WB5, this phase is denoted as WB5- x . Previously incorrectly referred to as "WB4," it is distinct from earlier theoretically suggested WB4, a phase with a different crystal structure that has not yet been synthesized and is predicted to be thermodynamically stable at pressures above 1 GPa. Mild synthesis conditions (enabling a scalable synthesis) and excellent mechanical properties make WB5- x a very promising material for drilling technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G. Kvashnin
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologySkolkovo Innovation Center3 Nobel StreetMoscow121025Russia
| | - Dmitry V. Rybkovskiy
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologySkolkovo Innovation Center3 Nobel StreetMoscow121025Russia
- A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of RAS38 Vavilov StreetMoscow119991Russia
| | - Vladimir P. Filonenko
- Vereshchagin Institute for High Pressure Physics of the Russian Academy of SciencesTroitsk108840Russia
| | - Vasilii I. Bugakov
- Vereshchagin Institute for High Pressure Physics of the Russian Academy of SciencesTroitsk108840Russia
| | - Igor P. Zibrov
- Vereshchagin Institute for High Pressure Physics of the Russian Academy of SciencesTroitsk108840Russia
| | - Vadim V. Brazhkin
- Vereshchagin Institute for High Pressure Physics of the Russian Academy of SciencesTroitsk108840Russia
| | - Artem R. Oganov
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologySkolkovo Innovation Center3 Nobel StreetMoscow121025Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology9 Institutsky LaneDolgoprudny141700Russia
- International Center for Materials DiscoveryNorthwestern Polytechnical UniversityXi'an710072China
| | - Andrey A. Osiptsov
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologySkolkovo Innovation Center3 Nobel StreetMoscow121025Russia
| | - Artem Ya Zakirov
- Gazpromneft Science & Technology Center75‐79 Moika River Embankment, Bldg. DSt. Petersburg190000Russia
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