1
|
Verma AK, Sharma BB. Experimental and Theoretical Insights into Interfacial Properties of 2D Materials for Selective Water Transport Membranes: A Critical Review. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:7812-7834. [PMID: 38587122 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Interfacial properties, such as wettability and friction, play critical roles in nanofluidics and desalination. Understanding the interfacial properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials is crucial in these applications due to the close interaction between liquids and the solid surface. The most important interfacial properties of a solid surface include the water contact angle, which quantifies the extent of interactions between the surface and water, and the water slip length, which determines how much faster water can flow on the surface beyond the predictions of continuum fluid mechanics. This Review seeks to elucidate the mechanism that governs the interfacial properties of diverse 2D materials, including transition metal dichalcogenides (e.g., MoS2), graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Our work consolidates existing experimental and computational insights into 2D material synthesis and modeling and explores their interfacial properties for desalination. We investigated the capabilities of density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations in analyzing the interfacial properties of 2D materials. Specifically, we highlight how MD simulations have revolutionized our understanding of these properties, paving the way for their effective application in desalination. This Review of the synthesis and interfacial properties of 2D materials unlocks opportunities for further advancement and optimization in desalination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Kumar Verma
- School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Islam MS, Mazumder AAM, Sohag MU, Sarkar MMH, Stampfl C, Park J. Growth mechanisms of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride ( h-BN) on metal surfaces: theoretical perspectives. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:4041-4064. [PMID: 37560434 PMCID: PMC10408602 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00382e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has appeared as a promising material in diverse areas of applications, including as an excellent substrate for graphene devices, deep-ultraviolet emitters, and tunneling barriers, thanks to its outstanding stability, flat surface, and wide-bandgap. However, for achieving such exciting applications, controllable mass synthesis of high-quality and large-scale h-BN is a precondition. The synthesis of h-BN on metal surfaces using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been extensively studied, aiming to obtain large-scale and high-quality materials. The atomic-scale growth process, which is a prerequisite for rationally optimizing growth circumstances, is a key topic in these investigations. Although theoretical investigations on h-BN growth mechanisms are expected to reveal numerous new insights and understandings, different growth methods have completely dissimilar mechanisms, making theoretical research extremely challenging. In this article, we have summarized the recent cutting-edge theoretical research on the growth mechanisms of h-BN on different metal substrates. On the frequently utilized Cu substrate, h-BN development was shown to be more challenging than a simple adsorption-dehydrogenation-growth scenario. Controlling the number of surface layers is also an important challenge. Growth on the Ni surface is controlled by precipitation. An unusual reaction-limited aggregation growth behavior has been seen on interfaces having a significant lattice mismatch to h-BN. With intensive theoretical investigations employing advanced simulation approaches, further progress in understanding h-BN growth processes is predicted, paving the way for guided growth protocol design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Sherajul Islam
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering & Technology Khulna 9203 Bangladesh
- Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno NV 89557 USA
| | | | - Minhaz Uddin Sohag
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering & Technology Khulna 9203 Bangladesh
| | - Md Mosarof Hossain Sarkar
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering & Technology Khulna 9203 Bangladesh
| | - Catherine Stampfl
- School of Physics, The University of Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Jeongwon Park
- Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno NV 89557 USA
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa Ottawa ON K1N 6N5 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Park JH, Lu AY, Tavakoli MM, Kim NY, Chiu MH, Liu H, Zhang T, Wang Z, Wang J, Martins LGP, Luo Z, Chi M, Miao J, Kong J. Revealing Variable Dependences in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Synthesis via Machine Learning. NANO LETTERS 2023. [PMID: 37196055 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c04624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Wafer-scale monolayer two-dimensional (2D) materials have been realized by epitaxial chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in recent years. To scale up the synthesis of 2D materials, a systematic analysis of how the growth dynamics depend on the growth parameters is essential to unravel its mechanisms. However, the studies of CVD-grown 2D materials mostly adopted the control variate method and considered each parameter as an independent variable, which is not comprehensive for 2D materials growth optimization. Herein, we synthesized a representative 2D material, monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), on single-crystalline Cu (111) by epitaxial chemical vapor deposition and varied the growth parameters to regulate the hBN domain sizes. Furthermore, we explored the correlation between two growth parameters and provided the growth windows for large flake sizes by the Gaussian process. This new analysis approach based on machine learning provides a more comprehensive understanding of the growth mechanism for 2D materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hoon Park
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Ang-Yu Lu
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Tavakoli
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Na Yeon Kim
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Ming-Hui Chiu
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Hongwei Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Tianyi Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Zhien Wang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jiangtao Wang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | | | - Zhengtang Luo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Miaofang Chi
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jianwei Miao
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Jing Kong
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Deng H, Comer J, Liu B. A high-dimensional neural network potential for molecular dynamics simulations of condensed phase nickel and phase transitions. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2022.2156561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Deng
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Jeffrey Comer
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bhowmik S, Govind Rajan A. Chemical vapor deposition of 2D materials: A review of modeling, simulation, and machine learning studies. iScience 2022; 25:103832. [PMID: 35243221 PMCID: PMC8857588 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is extensively used to produce large-area two-dimensional (2D) materials. Current research is aimed at understanding mechanisms underlying the nucleation and growth of various 2D materials, such as graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and transition metal dichalcogenides (e.g., MoS2/WSe2). Herein, we survey the vast literature regarding modeling and simulation of the CVD growth of 2D materials and their heterostructures. We also focus on newer materials, such as silicene, phosphorene, and borophene. We discuss how density functional theory, kinetic Monte Carlo, and reactive molecular dynamics simulations can shed light on the thermodynamics and kinetics of vapor-phase synthesis. We explain how machine learning can be used to develop insights into growth mechanisms and outcomes, as well as outline the open knowledge gaps in the literature. Our work provides consolidated theoretical insights into the CVD growth of 2D materials and presents opportunities for further understanding and improving such processes
Collapse
|
6
|
Lele A, Krstic P, van Duin ACT. ReaxFF Force Field Development for Gas-Phase hBN Nanostructure Synthesis. J Phys Chem A 2022; 126:568-582. [PMID: 35049316 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c09648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride materials are isomorphs of carbon nanomaterials and hold promise for electronics applications owing to their unique properties. Despite the recent advances in synthesis, the current production capacity for boron nitride (BN) nanostructures is far behind that for carbon-based nanostructures. Understanding the growth mechanism of BN nanostructures through modeling and experiments is key to improving this situation. In the current work, we present the development of a ReaxFF-based force field capable of modeling the gas-phase chemistry important for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthesis process. This force field is parameterized to model the boron nitride nanostructure (BNNS) formation in the gas phase using BN and HBNH as precursors. Our ReaxFF simulations show that BN is the best of these two precursors in terms of quality and the size of BNNSs. The BN precursors lead to the formation of closed BNNSs. However, BNNSs are replaced with complex polymeric structures at temperatures of 2500 K and higher due to entropic effects. Compared to the BN precursors, the HBNH precursors form relatively small, flat, and low-quality BNNSs, but this structure is less affected by temperature. Additives like H2 significantly affect the BNNS formation by preventing closed BNNS formation. Our results show the ReaxFF capability in predicting the BN gas-phase chemistry and BNNS formation, thus providing key insights for experimental synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Lele
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Predrag Krstic
- Institute for Advanced Computational Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Adri C T van Duin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li H, Zhao R. Dissociation of ammonia borane and its subsequent nucleation on the Ru(0001) surface Revealed by density functional theoretical simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:12226-12235. [DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05957b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is widely used in preparation of graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and other 2D materials. To improve the quality of h-BN, it is essential to...
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhang L, Dong J, Ding F. Strategies, Status, and Challenges in Wafer Scale Single Crystalline Two-Dimensional Materials Synthesis. Chem Rev 2021; 121:6321-6372. [PMID: 34047544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The successful exfoliation of graphene has given a tremendous boost to research on various two-dimensional (2D) materials in the last 15 years. Different from traditional thin films, a 2D material is composed of one to a few atomic layers. While atoms within a layer are chemically bonded, interactions between layers are generally weak van der Waals (vdW) interactions. Due to their particular dimensionality, 2D materials exhibit special electronic, magnetic, mechanical, and thermal properties, not found in their 3D counterparts, and therefore they have great potential in various applications, such as 2D materials-based devices. To fully realize their large-scale practical applications, especially in devices, wafer scale single crystalline (WSSC) 2D materials are indispensable. In this review, we present a detailed overview on strategies toward the synthesis of WSSC 2D materials while highlighting the recent progress on WSSC graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) synthesis. The challenges that need to be addressed in future studies have also been described. In general, there have been two distinct routes to synthesize WSSC 2D materials: (i) allowing only one nucleus on a wafer scale substrate to be formed and developed into a large single crystal and (ii) seamlessly stitching a large number of unidirectionally aligned 2D islands on a wafer scale substrate, which is generally single crystalline. Currently, the synthesis of WSSC graphene has been realized by both routes, and WSSC hBN and MoS2 have been synthesized by route (ii). On the other hand, the growth of other WSSC 2D materials and WSSC multilayer 2D materials still remains a big challenge. In the last section, we wrap up this review by summarizing the future challenges and opportunities in the synthesis of various WSSC 2D materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leining Zhang
- Centre for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea.,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Jichen Dong
- Centre for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Feng Ding
- Centre for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea.,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhu H, Zhao X, Li H, Zhao R. Revealing stable geometries and magic clusters of hexagonal boron nitride in the nucleation of chemical vapor deposition growth on Ni(111)/Cu(111) surfaces: a theoretical study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:4023-4031. [PMID: 32022041 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp06425g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To improve the quality of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-prepared hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), it is essential to understand the growth mechanism, particularly to learn the structures as well as their stabilities and kinetic evolutions of the formed clusters in the initial growth stage. Herein, we performed systematic studies on the stabilities of various geometries of different-/identical-sized BN clusters on (111) surfaces of Ni and Cu by density functional theory simulations. The results show that the stable configurations of different-sized clusters are those containing the most normal hexagons composed with alternate B and N atoms. There exist ultra-stable magic clusters on the (111) surfaces of both the metals. On Ni(111), the geometries of the magic clusters are composed of hexagons arranged in the core-shell structure, while they contain tetragons on the Cu(111) surface. The ultra-high stabilities of the magic clusters can be attributed to the comprehensive effect from the core-shell structure, high symmetry, edged atoms, and adsorption sites. The stable geometries of different-sized clusters as well as magic clusters present the vital roles of metal substrates in CVD-synthesis of h-BN and provide instructive information in improving the quality of h-BN by selecting appropriate metal substrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Zhu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Materials on Deep-Earth Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Henan 454003, China.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
McLean B, Webber GB, Page AJ. Boron Nitride Nanotube Nucleation via Network Fusion during Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:13385-13393. [PMID: 31387350 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b03484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) first being synthesized in the 1990s, their nucleation mechanism remains unknown. Here we report nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations showing how BNNT cap structures form during Ni-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of ammonia borane. BN hexagonal ring networks are produced following the catalytic evolution of H2 from the CVD feedstock, the formation and polymerization of B-N chain structures, and the repeated cleavage of homoelemental B-B/N-N bonds by the catalyst surface. Defect-free BNNT cap structures then form perpendicular to the catalyst surface via direct fusion of adjacent BN networks. This BNNT network fusion mechanism is a marked deviation from the established mechanism for carbon nanotube nucleation during CVD and potentially explains why CVD-synthesized BNNTs are frequently observed having sharper tips and wider diameters compared to CVD-synthesized carbon nanotubes.
Collapse
|
11
|
Liu ZQ, Dong J, Ding F. The geometry of hexagonal boron nitride clusters in the initial stages of chemical vapor deposition growth on a Cu(111) surface. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:13366-13376. [PMID: 31273364 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr02404b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To understand the nucleation process in the growth of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) on transition metal substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), the energy of formation and stability of h-BN clusters of different geometries on a pristine Cu(111) surface were systematically investigated using density functional theory calculations. We find that unlike carbon clusters, h-BN clusters on Cu supports can undergo two possible transformations of the minimum-energy structure at a critical size of 13. Different from freestanding h-BN clusters, on a Cu(111) surface, h-BN chains are more stable than h-BN rings and thus dominate the minimum-energy structure for cluster sizes lower than the critical size. Thus, depending on the experimental conditions of CVD, one-dimensional Bn-1Nn (N-rich environment) or BnNn-1 (B-rich) chains are first created, and they transform to two-dimensional sp2 networks or h-BN islands, but for a BnNn chain, the transformation to a two-dimensional sp2 network h-BN island does not occur. In contrast to carbon islands where pentagons are readily formed, odd-membered rings are extremely rare in h-BN islands, where the transformation to the most stable structure occurs through a combination of trapeziums and hexagons at the edges, so as to avoid B-B and N-N bonds. Moreover, on a Cu(111) surface, trapeziums are destabilized when the four edges are connected to other hexagons because of additional curvature energy, thus favoring the nucleation of planar nuclei. A deep insight into h-BN cluster formation on a Cu support is vital to understanding the growth mechanism of h-BN on a transition metal surface in CVD experiments to further improve experimental designs in the CVD growth of h-BN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Qiang Liu
- Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea and College of Physics and Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Jichen Dong
- Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Feng Ding
- Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
The structure–activity relationship of Fe nanoparticles in CO adsorption and dissociation by reactive molecular dynamics simulations. J Catal 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2019.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
13
|
Wafer-scale and selective-area growth of high-quality hexagonal boron nitride on Ni(111) by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5736. [PMID: 30952939 PMCID: PMC6450880 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42236-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate wafer-scale growth of high-quality hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) film on Ni(111) template using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Compared with inert sapphire substrate, the catalytic Ni(111) template facilitates a fast growth of high-quality h-BN film at the relatively low temperature of 1000 °C. Wafer-scale growth of a high-quality h-BN film with Raman E2g peak full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 18~24 cm−1 is achieved, which is to the extent of our knowledge the best reported for MOCVD. Systematic investigation of the microstructural and chemical characteristics of the MOCVD-grown h-BN films reveals a substantial difference in catalytic capability between the Ni(111) and sapphire surfaces that enables the selective-area growth of h-BN at pre-defined locations over a whole 2-inch wafer. These achievement and findings have advanced our understanding of the growth mechanism of h-BN by MOCVD and will contribute an important step toward scalable and controllable production of high-quality h-BN films for practical integrated two-dimensional materials-based systems and devices.
Collapse
|
14
|
Liu S, Comer J, van Duin ACT, van Duin DM, Liu B, Edgar JH. Predicting the preferred morphology of hexagonal boron nitride domain structure on nickel from ReaxFF-based molecular dynamics simulations. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:5607-5616. [PMID: 30860524 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr10291k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of the nucleation and growth of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) on nickel substrates is essential to its development as a functional material. In particular, fundamental insights into the formation of the hexagonal lattices with alternating boron (B) and nitrogen (N) atoms could be exploited to control hBN lattice morphologies for targeted applications. In this study, the preferred shapes and edge configurations of atomically smooth hBN on Ni(111) were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, along with reactive force field (ReaxFF) developed to represent the Ni/B/N system and the lattice-building B-N bond formation. The obtained hBN lattices, from different B : N feed ratios, are able to confirm that hBN domain geometries can indeed be tuned by varying thermodynamic parameters (i.e., chemical potentials of N and B) - a finding that has only been predicted using quantum mechanical theories. Here, we also showed that the nitrogen fed to the system plays a more crucial role in dictating the size of hBN lattices. With an increase of the relative N content, the simulated hBN domain shapes also transition from equilateral triangles to hexagons, again, consistent with the anticipation based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Hence, a plausible approach to acquire a desired hBN nanostructure depends on careful control over the synthesis conditions, which now can benefit from reliable molecular simulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Song Liu
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gao J, Xu Z, Chen S, Bharathi MS, Zhang YW. Computational Understanding of the Growth of 2D Materials. ADVANCED THEORY AND SIMULATIONS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/adts.201800085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Gao
- Institute of High Performance Computing; A*STAR Singapore 138632 Singapore
| | - Ziwei Xu
- School of Materials Science & Engineering; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Shuai Chen
- Institute of High Performance Computing; A*STAR Singapore 138632 Singapore
| | | | - Yong-Wei Zhang
- Institute of High Performance Computing; A*STAR Singapore 138632 Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tian H, Khanaki A, Das P, Zheng R, Cui Z, He Y, Shi W, Xu Z, Lake R, Liu J. Role of Carbon Interstitials in Transition Metal Substrates on Controllable Synthesis of High-Quality Large-Area Two-Dimensional Hexagonal Boron Nitride Layers. NANO LETTERS 2018; 18:3352-3361. [PMID: 29727192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b05179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Reliable and controllable synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layers is highly desirable for their applications as 2D dielectric and wide bandgap semiconductors. In this work, we demonstrate that the dissolution of carbon into cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) substrates can facilitate the growth of h-BN and attain large-area 2D homogeneity. The morphology of the h-BN film can be controlled from 2D layer-plus-3D islands to homogeneous 2D few-layers by tuning the carbon interstitial concentration in the Co substrate through a carburization process prior to the h-BN growth step. Comprehensive characterizations were performed to evaluate structural, electrical, optical, and dielectric properties of these samples. Single-crystal h-BN flakes with an edge length of ∼600 μm were demonstrated on carburized Ni. An average breakdown electric field of 9 MV/cm was achieved for an as-grown continuous 3-layer h-BN on carburized Co. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the interstitial carbon atoms can increase the adsorption energy of B and N atoms on the Co(111) surface and decrease the diffusion activation energy and, in turn, promote the nucleation and growth of 2D h-BN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Tian
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Alireza Khanaki
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Protik Das
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Renjing Zheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Zhenjun Cui
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Yanwei He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Wenhao Shi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Zhongguang Xu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Roger Lake
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Jianlin Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ahmed D, Kan E. Nucleation of boron-nitrogen on transition metal surface: A first-principles investigation. CHINESE J CHEM PHYS 2018. [DOI: 10.1063/1674-0068/31/cjcp1801006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dildar Ahmed
- Department of Applied Physics, and Institution of Energy and Microstructure, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Erjun Kan
- Department of Applied Physics, and Institution of Energy and Microstructure, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hu G, Wu Z, Dai S, Jiang DE. Interface Engineering of Earth-Abundant Transition Metals Using Boron Nitride for Selective Electroreduction of CO 2. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:6694-6700. [PMID: 29385799 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b17600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) monolayers have attracted considerable research interest. Given the tremendous progress in the synthesis of h-BN monolayers on transition metals and their potential as electrocatalysts, we investigate the electrocatalytic activities of h-BN/Ni, h-BN/Co, and h-BN/Cu interfaces for CO2 reduction by the first-principles density functional theory. We find that with the h-BN monolayer on the metal, electrons transfer from the metal to the interface and accumulate under the B atoms. By calculating the binding energies of three key intermediates (H, HCOO, and COOH) for hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction, we find that H binding on the metal can be significantly weakened by the h-BN monolayer, preventing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the binding strength of HCOO is strong on both the metal and h-BN/metal, especially for Ni and Co, promoting the CO2 reduction channel. On the basis of the free-energy diagrams, we predict that h-BN/Ni and h-BN/Co will have very good electrocatalytic activities for CO2 reduction to HCOOH, while the competitive HER channel is filtered out by the surface h-BN monolayer. Our study opens a new way for selective electroreduction of CO2 via the interface engineering of the h-BN/metal system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guoxiang Hu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California , Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Zili Wu
- Chemical Sciences Division and Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Sheng Dai
- Chemical Sciences Division and Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - De-En Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California , Riverside, California 92521, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Zeng M, Xiao Y, Liu J, Yang K, Fu L. Exploring Two-Dimensional Materials toward the Next-Generation Circuits: From Monomer Design to Assembly Control. Chem Rev 2018; 118:6236-6296. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 298] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Zeng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- The Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jinxin Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Kena Yang
- 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
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Clark MD, Morris KR, Tomassone MS. Correlation of Solubility with the Metastable Limit of Nucleation Using Gauge-Cell Monte Carlo Simulations. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:9081-9090. [PMID: 28812905 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b01939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We present a novel simulation-based investigation of the nucleation of nanodroplets from solution and from vapor. Nucleation is difficult to measure or model accurately, and predicting when nucleation should occur remains an open problem. Of specific interest is the "metastable limit", the observed concentration at which nucleation occurs spontaneously, which cannot currently be estimated a priori. To investigate the nucleation process, we employ gauge-cell Monte Carlo simulations to target spontaneous nucleation and measure thermodynamic properties of the system at nucleation. Our results reveal a widespread correlation over 5 orders of magnitude of solubilities, in which the metastable limit depends exclusively on solubility and the number density of generated nuclei. This three-way correlation is independent of other parameters, including intermolecular interactions, temperature, molecular structure, system composition, and the structure of the formed nuclei. Our results have great potential to further the prediction of nucleation events using easily measurable solute properties alone and to open new doors for further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Clark
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Kenneth R Morris
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Long Island University , Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States
| | - Maria Silvina Tomassone
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| |
Collapse
|