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At least 55 records · Page 3

The Effects of Morphology and Hydration on Anion Transport in Self-Assembled Nanoporous Membranes

Ordered nanoporous polymer membranes offer opportunities for systematically probing the mechanisms of ion transport under confinement and for realizing useful materials for electrochemical devices. Here, we examine the impact of morphology and ion hydration on the transport of hydroxide and bromide anions in nanostructured polymer membranes with 1 nm scale pores. We use aqueous lyotropic self-assembly of an amphiphilic monomer, with a polymerizable surfactant to create direct hexagonal (H I ) and gyroid mesophases. UV-induced cross-linking leads to the formation of nanoporous polymers with water continuous channels. The membranes are mechanically robust and chemically durable, resisting degradation during extended exposure to 1 M NaOH solutions. We use a combination of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, pulsed-field gradient NMR spectroscopy, and molecular simulations to elucidate anion and water transport. The as-prepared hexagonal systems display higher conductivity and lower activation energies for both anions relative to the gyroid system. When compared at equivalent hydration, however, gyroid and hexagonal membranes show similar activation energies, with nearly identical conductivities at ambient temperatures. Both ionic conductivity and water diffusivity increase with increasing hydration. Here, the water uptake as a function of relative humidity for the hexagonal and gyroid mesophases ultimately dictates the water diffusion and magnitude of the ionic conductivity, with the hexagonal system showing overall higher capacity for hydration and thus faster ion transport. The durability of these materials under aggressive alkaline conditions and their relatively high hydroxide ion conductivity suggest that these nanostructured polymers could be of interest as membranes for alkaline fuel cells.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Database of Nonaqueous Proton-Conducting Materials

This work presents the assembly of 48 papers, representing 74 different compounds and blends, into a machine-readable database of nonaqueous proton-conducting materials. SMILES was used to encode the chemical structures of the molecules, and we tabulated the reported proton conductivity, proton diffusion coefficient, and material composition for a total of 3152 data points. The data spans a broad range of temperatures ranging from -70 to 260 °C. To explore this landscape of nonaqueous proton conductors, DFT was used to calculate the proton affinity of 18 unique proton carriers. The results were then compared to the activation energy derived from fitting experimental data to the Arrhenius equation. It was found that while the widely recognized positive correlation between the activation energy and proton affinity may hold among closely related molecules, this correlation does not necessarily apply across a broader range of molecules. This work serves as an example of the potential analyses that can be conducted using literature data combined with emerging research tools in computation and data science to address specific materials design problems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Defect Diffusion Graph Neural Networks for Materials Discovery in High-Temperature Energy Applications

Here, the migration of crystallographic defects dictates material properties and performance for a plethora of technological applications. Density functional theory (DFT)-based nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations are a powerful computational technique for predicting defect migration activation energy barriers, yet they become prohibitively expensive for high-throughput screening of defect diffusivities. Without introducing hand-crafted (i.e., chemistry- or structure-specific) descriptors, we propose a generalized deep learning approach to train surrogate models for NEB energies of vacancy migration by hybridizing graph neural networks with transformer encoders and simply using pristine host structures as input. With sufficient training data, computationally efficient and simultaneous inference of vacancy defect thermodynamics and migration activation energies can be obtained to compute temperature-dependent vacancy diffusivities and to down-select candidates for more thorough DFT analysis or experiments. Thus, as we specifically demonstrate for potential water-splitting materials, candidates with desired defect thermodynamics, kinetics, and host stability properties can be more rapidly targeted from open-source databases of experimentally validated or hypothetical materials.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Correlative analysis of CsPbBr2Hal (Hal = Cl, Br, I) meltcrystallization paramete

Abstract — Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are an exciting research topic as they have the potential to make solar cells that are both more efficient than current siliconbased designs and have a wider range of applications. In this work the crystallization of CsPbBr2Hal (Hal = Cl, Br, I) halide perovskite melts were studied by the differential thermal analysis method. It was established that the crystallization of CsPbBr2Hal (Hal = Cl, Br, I) melts can be “hot” (i.e., at temperatures above the point of the alloy’s start-melting temperature) or with supercooling. The replacement of the bromine atom with another halogen atom leads to a shift of the dwell temperature range, at which “hot” crystallization takes place, from 830-846 K for CsPbBr3 to 807-832 K for CsPbBr2Cl and 741-768 K for CsPbBr2I. The activation energy of “hot” crystallization decreases in the same order. A linear dependence between the pre-exponential factor (ln(𝑽𝑽𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒔𝒔𝒕𝒕 𝟎𝟎 )) and the activation energy (Ea) of the crystallization process is revealed from the experimental data, proving the compensation effect.

Kopach, O.↗

Dehydroxylation kinetics of kaolinite and montmorillonite examined using isoconversional methods

The use of calcined clays as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in concrete is a promising strategy towards decarbonizing the cement and concrete industry. This is especially relevant considering the ever-increasing demand for concrete. Comprehensive understanding of the kinetics of calcination is essential towards maximizing the potential reactivity of clay minerals while ensuring energy efficiency. In this study, the kinetics of the dehydroxylation of kaolinite and montmorillonite are investigated under non-isothermal conditions at constant heating rate. Activation energies ( E a ) are determined via Friedman differential and advanced Vyazovkin incremental methods over the isoconversional range; these are devoid of computational approximations, thus allowing kinetic analysis without assuming a specific reaction model. Kinetic equations—in the differential form as well as a combination of differential and integral forms are compared against the experimentally determined reaction models to identify the most probable dehydroxylation mechanism for kaolinite and montmorillonite. A reaction order mechanism is established for dehydroxylation of kaolinite, while montmorillonite is noted to undergo dehydroxylation via a single-step reversible diffusion-controlled process. Kinetic triplet—comprising activation energy, reaction model and pre-exponential factor—is used to predict isothermal calcination conditions, which is further verified using analytical techniques. Heat release rates of clay-portlandite blends from isothermal calorimetry are used within a thermodynamic framework to quantify reactivity of the calcined clays. Here, the study demonstrates a general approach based on isoconversional methods to predict calcination conditions for different clays that can be used in efficient and optimized production of blended cements or SCMs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermal activation signatures of the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid forming near ν = 1

When interactions overcome disorder, integer quantum Hall plateaus support topological phases with different bulk insulators. In the center of the ν = 1 plateau the bulk is an Anderson-type insulator, while in the flanks of the plateau the bulk is the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid. We find that the activation energy along the ν = 1 plateau exhibits a very dramatic nonmonotonic dependence on the magnetic field, a dependence that is strongly correlated with the stability regions of the two phases. Furthermore, the activation energy has an unexpected minimum at the boundary between the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid. Our findings constrain the theory of the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid, determine its thermodynamic properties, and reveal unusual behavior at the boundary between the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Critical Role of the Steric Factor in the Viscoelasticity of Vitrimers

Dynamic covalent networks (DCNs) are a promising solution to mitigate plastic-waste-related issues through improved recyclability enabled by dynamic bonds. However, our understanding of the mechanisms controlling their viscoelasticity, especially in vitrimers where bond exchange relies on associative reactions, remains limited. Here, in this study, we investigate the dynamics in model DCNs with boric ester functionalities, and the analysis of the temperature dependence of their terminal relaxation times revealed a puzzling result: extremely large Arrhenius prefactors associated with their dynamic bond rearrangement times. We ascribe this observation to the often-overlooked chemical steric factor that slows down chemical reactions, therefore decreasing the vitrimers’ bond exchange rate by many orders. The estimated steric factor of the bond exchange in our model DCNs is comparable to those observed in boronic ester exchange reactions between small molecules. Additional analysis of literature data revealed an overall low steric factor also for imine bond exchange, thus highlighting the role of this parameter in tremendously slowing down bond exchange in DCNs despite low activation energy barriers. We propose a general approach for designing vitrimers with desired viscoelastic and creep properties considering the critical role of the steric factor in bond rearrangement mechanisms, in addition to the traditionally considered activation energy and matrix properties.

Carden, Gregory P. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville,↗

Kinetic analyses for solid-state phase transition of metastable amorphous-AlO x (2.5 < x ≤ 3.0) nanostructures into crystalline alumina polymorphs

Solid-solid phase change materials (SS-PCMs) hold promise for energy storage/dissipation in batteries and energetic materials. Yet, phase change kinetics for SS-PCMs undergoing metastable to semi-stable/stable phase transformations remain relatively ill-studied because trapping metastable phases remain challenging. Recently, we demonstrated the kinetic entrapment and stabilization of a highly disordered and amorphous Al-oxide phase m-AlO x @C (x~2.5-3.0) via laser ablation synthesis in solution (LASiS). We report here, to our knowledge, the first chemical kinetics analysis for S-S phase transition of the m-AlO 3 @C nanocomposites (< 5–8 nm sizes) into semi-stable equilibrium alumina phases (θ/γ-Al 2 O 3 ) via disproportionation reaction, while releasing excess trapped gases. Our results indicate the atomic density of the AlO 3 structures to be ~5–10 times less than that of the final Al 2 O 3 phases, which led to the hypothesis of a volume shrinkage process during their phase transition. Temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction studies reveal the high-temperature phase transition for m-AlO 3 → θ/γ-Al 2 O 3 to follow contracting volume kinetics model, thereby validating our earlier hypothesis. Using the geometric volume contraction model, reaction kinetics analyses from Arrhenius plots reveal the activation energy barrier for the phase transition to be ~270±11 kJ/mol. This makes the activation energy barrier nearly identical to the oxidation of micron-sized Al particles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Evolved Gas Analysis–Mass Spectrometry Exposes Polymer Network Structures

Polymer network structures in epoxy thermosets play an important role in the final thermoset material properties. However, analytical characterization of these network structures is difficult due to their amorphous nature. In this work, the application of evolved gas analysis–mass spectrometry (EGA-MS) to characterize the polymer network structures of bisphenol A (BPA)-based thermosets is demonstrated. Analytical characterization of the polymer network structures is accomplished by monitoring the Product-Specific Kinetics (PSK) of BPA monomer formation during thermal degradation investigations. We relate observed differences in the activation energy (E a ) of BPA monomer formation to the local packing environment around the BPA monomer units within the polymer network. Variations in the local environment related to the polymer networks manifest qualitatively as broadening in the thermal profile of the BPA monomer evolution and quantitatively as changes in the activation energy (E a ). Three BPA thermoset formulations were investigated; two amine-cured thermoset with 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) or poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-amino-propyl ether) (PPG400) and a homopolymerized thermoset via curing with Epikure 3253 catalyst (3253). Results revealed that the 3253 thermoset contained two distinct packing densities in the polymer network, while DDM and PPG400 thermosets had uniform distributions of packing densities. Results from the DDM thermoset revealed a gradually decreasing E a , while the apparent E a of PPG400 was consistent over the entire degradation. Furthermore, these differences in E a were concluded to stem from the flexibility of the corresponding polymer networks and the ability of the network components to rearrange and occupy formed voids. Due to the minimal sample required for analysis (100–200 μg), this EGA-MS technique has great potential for postproduction evaluation of composite parts to identify changes in the polymer networks from use and aging, which could signal compromised performance.

Degradation↗

Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Study of the Reduction of Acetone by the Hydrated Electron

We have investigated the reaction dynamics of the reduction of acetone by the solvated electron in water using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations at 298 and 373 K. The rate constants derived from the simulations are consistent with experimental observations that the reaction has a low activation energy. Detailed analyses carried out to shed light on the mechanism of the reaction show that solvent reorganization plays a key role as a reaction coordinate, as expected from the Marcus electron transfer theory. Furthermore, constrained density functional theory calculations indicate that the electronic coupling is large, placing the reaction in the adiabatic limit. Indeed, the activation energies and rate constants of the simulations are in accordance with the predictions of adiabatic Marcus theory.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Comparison of the Arrhenius parameters between conventional hydrothermal and microwave-assisted synthesis methods for tin oxide nanoparticles

Microwave (MW) irradiation has emerged as a powerful tool for accelerating materials synthesis, yet the origins of its specific influence on reaction kinetics remain elusive. While multiple studies have attributed the observed enhancements in reaction rates under MW heating to reduced activation energies, other accounts have suggested modifications to the Arrhenius pre-exponential factor as the predominant cause. Distinguishing between these parameters in modern applications of MW processing in nanomaterials requires experimental approaches capable of resolving the dynamic and nuanced structural kinetics that govern MW-assisted chemistry. Here, we combine in-situ synchrotron X-ray total scattering with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to track the structural evolution of SnO 2 nanoparticles synthesized via MW-assisted and conventional hydrothermal conditions. Avrami modeling and Arrhenius analysis suggest that although MW irradiation yields a higher apparent activation energy, the enhanced crystallization is better explained by a pre-exponential factor several orders of magnitude larger than that of conventional heating. These findings suggest that the MW field induces a higher frequency of successful molecular rearrangements rather than lowering the intrinsic activation barrier. The results contribute further insights clarifying the role of the applied MW field for materials design where MW-specific effects can be deliberately harnessed. Furthermore, this work presents a framework promoting the utility of in-situ PDF characterization coupled with kinetic analysis for developing more sophisticated descriptions of nanoscale transformations for MW-driven reaction kinetics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Speciation and diffusive dynamics in hydrated grain boundaries of complex oxide Gd2Ti2O7

Abstract Grain boundaries in polycrystalline materials significantly affect their properties, such as ionic transport, corrosion, and chemical durability. The pyrochlore compound (Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 ) is employed as a model for complex oxides and is known for its diverse applications, including nuclear waste immobilization. Density functional theory-based first-principles molecular dynamics simulations were performed at different temperatures on the hydrated grain boundary system. The results show extensive transformations within the grain boundaries among hydrous water species (OH − , H 2 O, and H 3 O + ). The temperature dependence of self-diffusion coefficients follows Arrhenius behavior, with an activation energy of 35.9 kJ/mol for hydrogen and 46.3 kJ/mol for oxygen. The lifetime of OH − is about three to four times longer than that of H 2 O at temperatures from 800 to 2100 K, suggesting the greater stability of OH − over H 2 O, a unique characteristic of the grain boundaries. The estimated lifetime of the hydrous species decreases as the temperature increases, with an activation energy of 9.9 kJ/mol for OH − and 13.4 kJ/mol for H 2 O. While Gd 3 + is more mobile than Ti 4+ , both the Gd 3 + and Ti 4+ cations are orders of magnitude less mobile than the water species. The results suggest that water species are much more mobile within grain boundaries than in the bulk crystal and have the potential to penetrate deep into polycrystalline materials through grain boundaries, leading to grain boundary degradation and dissolution. The different mobilities of cations in complex oxides can lead to leaching of certain cations and incongruent dissolution during the chemical weathering of Earth and industrial materials.

B. Ghosh, Dipta↗

Molecular Level Understanding of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Depolymerization in Base/Alcohol Hybrid Systems

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) depolymerization in base/alcohol hybrid systems represents a promising low-energy approach for chemically recycling PET waste into valuable monomers. This study investigates the mechanistic pathways of PET depolymerization in NaOH/alcohol solutions, emphasizing the competing roles of hydroxide and alkoxide species. Utilizing a combination of experimental techniques, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we explore how factors such as base concentration, alcohol chain length, and pKa values of alcohols influence PET depolymerization efficiency and pathways. Our findings indicate that alkoxide ions (RO⁻) exhibit notably higher reactivity than hydroxide ions (HO⁻), favoring an alcoholysis pathway in the base/alcohol hybrid system. Experimental results across a series of C1 to C5 alcohols show that longer-chain alcohols, particularly 1-butanol, achieve higher PET conversion, although this does not align solely with simple nucleophilicity trends of alkoxides. While DFT calculations reveal comparable activation energies for various alkoxides in PET depolymerization, MD simulations underscore the significant role of alcohol chain length, with longer-chain alcohols forming more stable or frequent interactions with PET. Additionally, the alkoxide concentration, influenced by the alcohol’s pK a , directly impacts PET conversion. These suggest that PET depolymerization is governed by a balance between alkoxide concentration and alkoxide-PET interactions, rather than activation energies or nucleophilicity alone. From a practical perspective, incorporating long-chain alcohols as cosolvents may enhance process efficiency but increases raw material costs by approximately 30%. However, long-chain alcohols present a safer and more sustainable alternative to hazardous cosolvents such as dichloromethane. This work offers a molecular-level understanding of PET depolymerization in base/alcohol systems and provides insights into optimizing these systems for more efficient and sustainable PET recycling processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Selective Hydrogenation of Furfural Acetone over a Cu Catalyst: Combined Theoretical and Experimental Study

The selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF)-acetone-HMF (HAH) presents an alternative route to producing highly functionalized polyesters and polyurethanes. While HAH undergoes furan ring hydrogenation over Pd, Ru, and Ni catalysts, furan ring hydrogenation is not observed over Cu. Herein, we combine reaction kinetics experiments and density functional theory calculations to elucidate the selective hydrogenation behavior of HAH over Cu catalysts. We identified furfural acetone (FAc) as a suitable surrogate for modeling HAH hydrogenation over Cu surfaces and performed reaction kinetics experiments between temperatures of 313–393 K and a H 2 partial pressure of 55 bar. Similar to the behavior of HAH, hydrogenation of FAc follows a consecutive two-step hydrogenation pathway over Cu and does not undergo furan ring hydrogenation. The apparent activation energy barriers for hydrogenation of the aliphatic double bond (0.58 eV) and carbonyl (0.43 eV) of FAc measured in a continuous flow reactor setup are consistent with those reported in prior studies for batch HAH hydrogenation. Reaction orders with respect to each reactant, including H 2 and FAc, were determined to be nearly one. Density functional theory (DFT; GGA-PBE-D3) calculations on Cu(111) showed that the hydrogenation of the aliphatic double bond of FAc is more facile than the hydrogenation of the furan ring, which displays weak interactions with the Cu surface. We determined an apparent activation energy barrier for FAc hydrogenation (0.58 eV) that agreed with our DFT predictions (highest barrier for FAc hydrogenation of 0.57 eV). Finally, our DFT calculations further show that weak interactions between the furan ring and Cu surface are responsible for the selective hydrogenation behavior.

Biomass↗

Kinetics for the reaction between the solvated electron and dissolved oxygen in n-dodecane from 2.5 to 40 °C

Temperature-controlled, time-resolved picosecond electron pulse radiolysis was utilized to measure the rate of reaction between the solvated electron (eS–) and dissolved oxygen in n-dodecane solutions from 2.5 to 40 °C for the first time. At 20.0 °C, the reaction rate was determined to be k(eS– + O2) = (4.54 ± 0.21) × 1010 M-1 s-1, with an activation energy of Ea = 14.4 ± 1.3 kJ mol-1. These newly determined kinetic parameters are important for predicting and managing the effects of aerated environments on the degradation of organic solvents used in nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Exploring Li-Ion Transport Properties of Li 3 TiCl 6 : A Machine Learning Molecular Dynamics Study

We performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations based on a machine-learning force field (MLFF) to investigate the Li-ion transport mechanism in cation-disordered Li 3 TiCl 6 cathode at six different temperatures, ranging from 25°C to 100°C. In this work, deep neural network method and data generated by ab − initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations were deployed to build a high-fidelity MLFF. Radial distribution functions, Li-ion mean square displacements (MSD), diffusion coefficients, ionic conductivity, activation energy, and crystallographic direction-dependent migration barriers were calculated and compared with corresponding AIMD and experimental data to benchmark the accuracy of the MLFF. From MSD analysis, we captured both the self and distinct parts of Li-ion dynamics. The latter reveals that the Li-ions are involved in anti-correlation motion that was rarely reported for solid-state materials. Similarly, the self and distinct parts of Li-ion dynamics were used to determine Haven’s ratio to describe the Li-ion transport mechanism in Li 3 TiCl 6 . Obtained trajectory from molecular dynamics infers that the Li-ion transportation is mainly through interstitial hopping which was confirmed by intra- and inter-layer Li-ion displacement with respect to simulation time. Ionic conductivity (1.06 mS/cm) and activation energy (0.29eV) calculated by our simulation are highly comparable with that of experimental values. Overall, the combination of machine-learning methods and AIMD simulations explains the intricate electrochemical properties of the Li 3 TiCl 6 cathode with remarkably reduced computational time. Thus, our work strongly suggests that the deep neural network-based MLFF could be a promising method for large-scale complex materials.

Selvaraj, Selva Chandrasekaran (ORCID:000000029023↗

Superionic-like diffusion in yttrium dihydride

For the next-generation high temperature microreactors, yttrium dihydride (YH 2 ) is an attractive solid state neutron moderator. Despite a number of recent investigations, the mechanism of hydrogen transport remains poorly understood. Experimental evaluations of diffusivity are inconclusive with large variations in diffusivities and activation energies. In this work, we perform ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations on YH 2 for temperatures spanning 300 K to 1200 K. Our main finding is that YH 2 shows a superionic-like behavior with hydrogen atoms hopping from one native site to another above a characteristic temperature of 800 K. This correlated motion results in quasi-one-dimensional string-like displacements that enable the hydrogen atoms to diffuse rapidly. We confirm that the octahedral sites are mostly unoccupied, although channeling through them is the most favored pathway between lattice hops above 800 K. At the highest temperature of 1200 K, the string relaxation time is merely of the order of a few picoseconds, which indicates a liquid-like diffusive behavior. Based on the formation of spontaneous thermal vacancies, an order-disorder crossover temperature T α ~ 800 K is established for YH 2 with an activation energy of 0.83 eV for hydrogen diffusion in the superionic-like state.

Superionic-like Diffusion↗

Accelerated creep profiling: a high-throughput thermal- and stress-gradient approach applied to additive and wrought stainless steel

Here, this study investigates logarithmic creep behavior at temperatures near room temperature in wrought and additively manufactured (AM) 316 L austenitic stainless steel. A novel high-throughput (HiTp) methodology employed thermal gradients to obtain stress- and temperature-dependence of creep behavior. The findings, based on 104 two-week creep tests, reveal significant differences in creep response between wrought and AM materials. Compared to the wrought material, the AM material exhibited a higher activation energy and a lower activation volume. These differences were attributed to the materials’ distinct microstructural features, e.g., dislocation cell structures and precipitate distributions, which alter the susceptibility to dislocation glide creep, particularly at stresses below the yield stress. The HiTp methodology provides both an accelerated determination of low-temperature creep mechanisms, offering critical data for the design and optimization of alloys in near-ambient, high stress applications.

316 L Stainless steel↗