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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,549 records · Page 86
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction on Pt(111) in alkaline solution: Importance of chemisorbed water on surface

Here, we report a detailed mechanistic study of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on Pt(111) in alkaline solution, combining density functional theory and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. A complex reaction network including four possible pathways via either 2e – or 4e – transfer is established and is able to reproduce the experimental measured polarization curve at both low- and high-potential regions. Our results show that it is essential to account for solvation by water and the dynamic coverage of *OH to describe the reaction kinetics well. In addition, a chemisorbed water (*H 2 O)-mediated mechanism including 4e – transfers is identified, where the reduction steps via *H 2 O on the surface are potential-independent and only the final removal of *OH from the surface in the form of OH – (aq) contributes to the current. For the ORR in alkaline solutions, such a mechanism is more competitive than the associative and dissociative mechanisms typically used to describe the ORR in acid solution. Finally, *OH and **O 2 intermediates are found to be critically important for tuning the ORR activity of Pt in alkaline solution. To enhance the activity, the binding of Pt should be tuned in such a way that *OH binding is weak enough to release more surface sites under working conditions, while **O 2 binding is strong enough to enable the ORR via the 4e – transfer mechanism.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of Solvent and State of Charge Effects on Solid-Phase Structure and Counterion Binding in a Nitroxide Radical Containing Polymer Energy Storage Material

Here we performed molecular dynamics simulations to understand the effects of solvent swelling and state of charge (SOC) on the redox active, organic radical cathode material poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy methacrylate) (PTMA). We show that the polar solvent acetonitrile primarily solvates the nitroxide radical without disrupting the packing of the (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) pendant groups of PTMA. We also simulated bulk PTMA in different SOC, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, by converting the appropriate number of TEMPO groups to the cation charge state and adding BF 4 - counterions to the simulation. At each SOC the packing of PTMA, the solvent, and the counterions were examined. The binding of the anion to the nitroxide cation site was examined using the potential of mean force and found to be on the order of tens of meV, with a binding energy that decreased with increasing SOC. Additionally, we found that the cation state is stabilized by the presence of a nearby anion by more than 1 eV, and the implications of this stabilization on charge transport are discussed. Finally, we describe the implications of our results for how the SOC of an organic electrode affects electron and anion charge transport during the charging and discharging processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Developing a Thermodynamic Model for the Interactions between Water and Cu in the Zeolite SSZ-13

The Cu-exchanged zeolite SSZ-13 is an efficient catalyst in the selective catalytic reduction of nitrous oxides in the presence of ammonia, and understanding the nature of the active sites under realistic conditions is important in rationalizing its activity. Especially the interactions between Cu and water have drawn significant amounts of attention in recent years. In this work we develop a thermodynamic model for the water coordination of Cu based on static calculations and present occupational probabilities and phase diagrams for different Al distributions at different temperatures and water pressures. We find that only at high temperatures and low pressures is the bare Cu cation the most stable species and that the cation is solvated at lower temperatures and higher pressures. In the following we compare our results to experimental and theoretical work in this field and find good agreement. This work shows that it is possible to construct an accurate thermodynamic model for water interactions with Cu in zeolites and it will be interesting to see how a similar methodology can be applied to elucidate different problems in the future.

Göltl, Florian↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Chemistry of Electrolyte Reduction on Silicon Electrodes Revealed by in Situ ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy

While silicon is the most promising next-generation anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), silicon electrodes exhibit significant capacity fade with cycling. A common hypothesis is that the capacity loss is due to the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) forming in the first cycle and becoming destabilized by large cyclic volume changes. A cell for in situ attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with controllable penetration depth was used to study the chemistry at the electrode–electrolyte interface. The SEI product precursors at the interface were successfully identified and differentiated from free or solvated solvent molecules in the bulk electrolyte. Intriguingly, for the most common electrolyte consisting of ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate was found to directly reduce to lithium ethylene dicarbonate on the lithiated silicon surface and diethyl carbonate to selectively reduce to diethyl 2,5-dioxahexane dicarboxylate on the surface of the native silicon-oxide film. In conclusion, understanding this surface dependence of the SEI composition is critical to tuning the silicon electrode surface condition and, ultimately, enhancing the performance of future LIBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Computational Design of New Magnesium Electrolytes with Improved Properties

Here, we use computational design to examine 15 new electrolyte salt anions by performing chemical variations and mutations on the bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonamide (TFSI) anion. On the basis of our calculations, we propose two new anions as potential candidates for magnesium energy-storage systems, which are evolved from TFSI with the substitution of sulfur atoms in TFSI and the modification of functional groups. The applicability of these new anion salts is examined through comprehensive calculations using both first-principles as well as benchmarked classical molecular dynamics. We elucidate the important properties of these anions, including the electrochemical stability window, chemical decomposition, preferred solvation structure, diffusion coefficient, and other dynamical properties for 15 rationally designed molecules. Two of the designed anions are discovered to successfully avoid the vulnerability of TFSI during ion-pair charge-transfer reactions while retaining comparable or better performance of other properties. As such, our work provides, to our knowledge, the first theoretically designed electrolyte salt for contemporary multivalent batteries and provides guidance for the synthesis and testing of novel liquid electrochemical systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Role of Disproportionation in the Dissolution of Mn from Lithium Manganate Spinel

Dissolution of Mn from lithium-manganese spinel has hindered its commercialization as a cathode material in Li-ion batteries. Disproportionation of near-surface Mn(III), in the presence of acid, has been widely thought to result in dissolved divalent Mn. To what extent stray acidic water in the cell (as opposed to the organic electrolyte) acts as the solvent for Mn ions has not been established. Simulations by Leung show that a small displacement of trivalent Mn from its equilibrium site at an LiMn 2 O 4 (001)/ ethylene carbonate interface leads to its reduction to Mn(II). In the present work, Thermodynamic Integration is performed, based on first-principles molecular dynamics simulations within the Blue-Moon ensemble, for the detachment of Mn(III) ions at the LiMn 2 O 4 (001)/water interface. The results show that reduction of Mn(III) to Mn(II) occurs also in the case of an aqueous interface. The simulations were performed for both neutral and acidic water (in the presence of HF), with the coordination number of the dissolving Mn ion with substrate oxygen ions taken as the reaction coordinate. The simulations indicate that an F - ion strongly binds to a surface Mn(III) ion, and weakens its adhesion to the substrate. Owing to this weakening, a surface Mn-F complex traverses regions of phase space at room temperature where disproportionation becomes energetically favorable. Although this disproportionation occurs close to the substrate, where the Mn coordination number is only slightly lowered from its equilibrium value, we argue that the likelihood of reattachment after disproportionation is small (Leung arrived at a similar interpretation in the case of the LiMn 2 O 4 (001)/ EC interface). We suggest that the critical role of F - in promoting dissolution is to weaken the Mn binding to the substrate so as to enable disproportionation. The partially detached MnF complex may then undergo additional interaction with the solvent to form, e.g., MnF 2 , which would enable transport away from the substrate. In conclusion, the EPR measurements by Shilina et al. which appear to show Mn(III) as the predominant solvated species are discussed.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Adsorption of Aqueous Crude Oil Components on the Basal Surfaces of Clay Minerals: Molecular Simulations Including Salinity and Temperature Effects

Molecular simulations of the adsorption of representative organic molecules onto the basal surfaces of various clay minerals were used to assess the mechanisms of enhanced oil recovery associated with salinity changes and water flooding. Simulations at the density functional theory (DFT) and classical levels provide insights into the molecular structure, binding energy, and interfacial behavior of saturate, aromatic, and resin molecules near clay mineral surfaces. Periodic DFT calculations reveal binding geometries and ion pairing mechanisms at mineral surfaces while also providing a basis for validating the classical force field approach. Through classical molecular dynamics simulations, the influence of aqueous cations at the interface and the role of water solvation are examined to better evaluate the dynamical nature of cation-organic complexes and their co-adsorption onto the clay surfaces. The extent of adsorption is controlled by the hydrophilic nature and layer charge of the clay mineral. All organic species studied showed preferential adsorption on hydrophobic mineral surfaces. However, the anionic form of the resin (decahydro-2-naphthoic acid)—expected to be prevalent at near-neutral pH conditions in petroleum reservoirs—readily adsorbs to the hydrophilic kaolinite surface through a combination of cation pairing and hydrogen bonding with surface hydroxyl groups. Analysis of cation-organic pairing in both the adsorbed and desorbed states reveals a strong preference for organic anions to coordinate with divalent calcium ions rather than monovalent sodium ions, lending support to current theories regarding low-salinity water flooding.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Impact of Nano- and Mesoscales on Macroscopic Cation Conductivity in Perfluorinated-Sulfonic-Acid Membranes

A mean-field local-density theory is outlined for ion transport in perfluorinated-sulfonic-acid (PFSA) membranes. A theory of molecular-level interactions predict nanodomain and macroscale conductivity. The effects of solvation, dielectric saturation, dispersion forces, image charge, finite size, and confinement are included in a physically consistent 3D-model domain geometry. Probability-distribution profiles of aqueous cation concentration at the domain-scale are in agreement with atomistic simulations using no explicit fitting parameters. Measured conductivities of lithium-, sodium-, and proton-form membranes with equivalent weights of 1100, 1000, and 825 g/mol(SO3) validate the macroscale predictions using a single-value mesoscopic fitting parameter. Cation electrostatic interactions with pendant sulfonate groups are the largest source of migration resistance at the domain-scale. Tortuosity of ionically conductive domains is the largest source of migration resistance at the macroscale. In conclusion, our proposed transport model is consistent across multiple length scales. We provide a compelling methodology to guide material design and optimize performance in energy-conversion applications of PFSA membranes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Theoretical Investigation of the Structural Stabilities of Ceria Surfaces and Supported Metal Nanocluster in Vapor and Aqueous Phases

Understanding the structural stability and dynamics at the interface between the solid metal oxide and aqueous phase is significant in a variety of industrial applications including heterogeneous catalysis and environmental remediation. In the present work, the stabilities of three low-index ceria (CeO2) surfaces, i.e., (111), (110) and (100) in vapor and aqueous phases were studied using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Gibbs surface free energies as a function of temperature, water partial pressure, and water coverages were calculated using DFT based atomistic thermodynamic approach. On the basis of surface free energies, the morphology and exposed surface structures of the CeO2 nanoparticle were predicted using Wulff construction principle. It is found that the partially hydroxylated (111) and (100) are two major surface structures of CeO2 nanoparticles in vapor phase at ambient temperature (300 K). As the temperature increases, the fully dehydrated (111) surface gradually becomes the most dominant surface structure. While in aqueous phase, the exposed surface of the CeO2 nanoparticle is dominated by the hydroxylated (110) structure at 393 K. Finally, the morphology and stability of a cuboctahedron Pt13 nanocluster supported on CeO2 surfaces in both gas and aqueous phases were investigated. In gas phase, the supported Pt13 nanocluster has the tendency to wetting the CeO2 surface due to the strong metal-support interaction. The calculated interaction energies suggest the CeO2(110) surface provides the best stability for the Pt13 nanocluster. The CeO2 supported Pt13 nanoclusters are oxidized. Compared to the gas phase, the morphology of the CeO2 supported Pt13 nanocluster is less distorted due to the solvation effect provided by surrounding water molecules in aqueous phase. More electrons are transferred from the Pt13 nanocluster to the CeO2 support, implying the supported Pt13 nanocluster is further oxidized in aqueous phase.

ab initio molecular dynamics simulation↗
DOE OSTI2018

NMR Spectroscopy Reveals Adsorbate Binding Sites in the Metal–Organic Framework UiO-66(Zr)

In this paper, we assign 1 H and 13 C NMR resonances emanating from acetone, methanol, and cyclohexane adsorbed inside the pores of UiO-66(Zr). These results are informed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which probe the role of two competing effects inside of the pore environment: (i) nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICSs) generated by ring currents in conjugated linkers and (ii) small molecule coordination to the metal-oxyhydroxy cluster. These interactions are found to perturb the chemical shift of in-pore adsorbate relative to ex-pore adsorbate (which resides in spaces between the MOF particles). Changes in self-solvation upon adsorption may also perturb the chemical shift. Our results indicate that cyclohexane preferentially adsorbs in the tetrahedral pores of UiO-66(Zr), while acetone and methanol adsorb at the Zr–OH moieties on the metal-oxyhydroxy clusters in a more complex fashion. Finally, this method may be used to probe molecular adsorption sites and material void saturation with selected adsorbates, and with further development may eventually be used to trace in-pore chemistry of MOF materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Distinct Binding of Rhenium Catalysts on Nanostructured and Single-Crystalline TiO 2 Surfaces Revealed by Two-Dimensional Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

High surface area TiO 2 electrodes are extensively used in photocatalytic solar cells. However, it remains controversial how molecular catalysts interact with the TiO 2 surfaces and how the electrodes affect the functionality of catalytic adsorbates. In this study, we examine the CO 2 reduction catalyst Re I (dcbpy)(CO) 3 Cl (dcbpy = 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine) on TiO 2 by probing spectroscopically isolated carbonyl modes that are highly sensitive to the complex electronic structure and solvation environment. Combining interferometric two-dimensional sum frequency generation spectroscopy and ab initio simulations of the spectra, we find distinct spectroscopic and dynamical properties of catalysts bound to single crystals and nanocrystalline surfaces. Lastly, different cross-peak patterns resulting from interferences between elements of the fourth-order susceptibility, along with different vibrational relaxation dynamics, reveal distinct vibrational relaxation pathways of the catalysts on different TiO 2 surfaces that could be engineered for selective catalytic performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Orientation and Polarization Dependence of Ground- and Excited-State FSRS in Crystalline Betaine-30

Charge transfer reactions are frequently accompanied by large changes in dipole and are of instrumental importance in many biological and chemical processes. Understanding the mechanism and dynamics associated with charge transfer reactions has been the focus of decades of investigations; however, most studies have been done with solvated analytes in which the measurements can be significantly impacted by environmental broadening or solvent-mediated effects. Here, we study photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer in crystalline betaine-30, thus dramatically reducing environmental heterogeneities and solvent contributions to the charge transfer process. We use femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy in a reflective microscope configuration to probe the ground and excited state structures in a well-characterized betaine-30 crystal, with a unit cell consisting of four nearly orthogonal betaine-30 molecules and six water molecules. This study highlights how changing the crystal orientation and laser polarization can impact the excited- and ground-state Raman signals due to differences in the unit cell net dipole moment along different crystal axes. We find that the forward charge transfer process (τ ~ 500 fs) is unaffected by the crystalline environment, while the back electron transfer process (τ ~ 20 ps) is delayed in the crystalline environment as compared to lifetimes obtained in a range of solvents. Finally, this work highlights the role of the net transition dipole orientation on signals resulting from charge transfer in an anisotropic system and should aid in guiding the rational design of solid-state photoactivated devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Properties of Negatively Charged Ruthenium Clusters in Molten Sodium Chloride

Negatively charged ruthenium clusters dispersed in molten NaCl are studied here with density functional theory and molecular dynamics. The Ru clusters are charged by adding additional Na atoms to the molten salt. We consider Ru 6 m- and 2Ru 3 m/2- clusters (m = 0, 2, 4) and investigate the importance of size, charge, and molten NaCl electrolyte on the stability of the small Ru clusters. Generally, the Ru clusters are not stable in the few atom limit compared to Ru atoms in bulk metallic Ru. However, charging the clusters, increasing their size, and solvating them in molten NaCl reduces the energy cost substantially. Neutral Ru 6 suspended in NaCl is relatively unreactive towards N 2 adsorption, but when charged, the clusters are predicted to be very active for both molecular and dissociative N 2 adsorption.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Microscopic Dynamics in an Ionic Liquid Augmented with Organic Solvents

We introduce the complex microscopic dynamics of 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bis(trifluromethylsulfonyl)imide, [Bmim + ][TFSI – ], ionic liquid mixed with organic solvents to improve its properties for energy storage applications. To probe the microscopic dynamics on different length and time scales, we have used different neutron scattering spectrometers for quasielastic neutron scattering measurements to compare the effects of solvation in several organic solvents with nearly the same dipole moment but broadly varying bulk diffusivity. The ionic liquid–solvent mixtures show a nanoscopic phase separation into an ionic liquid-rich and a solvent-rich phase, as revealed by the model-free dynamic susceptibility data and further corroborated by the cluster histogram analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. In both phases, we observe a long-range translational mobility of the [Bmim + ] cation, which scales with the bulk diffusivities of the organic solvents; this correlation becomes stronger in the solvent-rich phase. Furthermore, various localized motion modes of the [Bmim + ] cation are observed. A combination of neutron scattering and MD simulations reveals the parameters governing solvent-controlled diffusivity in an ionic liquid, which helps formulate new electrolytes optimized for effective energy storage devices.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ion Pairing and Redissociaton in Low-Permittivity Electrolytes for Multivalent Battery Applications

Detailed speciation of electrolytes as a function of chemical system and concentration provides the foundation for understanding bulk transport as well as possible decomposition mechanisms. In particular, multivalent electrolytes have shown a strong coupling between anodic stability and solvation structure. Furthermore, solvents that are found to exhibit reasonable stability against alkaline-earth metals generally exhibit low permittivity, which typically increases the complexity of the electrolyte species. To improve our understanding of ionic population and associated transport in these important classes of electrolytes, the speciation of Mg(TFSI)2 in monoglyme and diglyme systems is studied via a multiscale thermodynamic model using first-principles calculations for ion association and molecular dynamics simulations for dielectric properties. The results are then compared to Raman and dielectric relaxation spectroscopies, which independently confirm the modeling insights. We find that the significant presence of free ions in the low-permittivity glymes in the concentration range from 0.02 to 0.6 M is well-explained by the low-permittivity redissociation hypothesis. Here, salt speciation is largely dictated by long-range electrostatics, which includes permittivity increases due to polar contact ion pairs. The present results suggest that other low-permittivity multivalent electrolytes may also reach high conductivities as a result of redissociation.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Direct Probe of the Hydrogen Bond Network in Aqueous Glycerol Aerosols

The properties of aerosols are of paramount importance in atmospheric chemistry and human health. The hydrogen bond network of glycerol-water aerosols generated from an aqueous solution with different mixing ratios is probed directly with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The carbon and oxygen X-ray spectra reveal contributions from gas and condensed phase components of the aerosol. It is shown that water suppresses glycerol evaporation up to a critical mixing ratio. A dielectric analysis using terahertz spectroscopy coupled with infrared spectroscopy of the bulk solutions provides a picture of the microscopic heterogeneity prevalent in the hydrogen bond network when combined with the photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The hydrogen bond network is composed of three intertwined regions. At low concentrations, glycerol molecules are surrounded by water forming a solvated water network. Adding more glycerol leads to a confined water network, maximizing at 22 mol %, beyond which the aerosol resembles bulk glycerol. This microscopic view of hydrogen bonding networks holds promise in probing evaporation, diffusion dynamics, and reactivity in aqueous aerosols.

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

Hydrogen Bonds and H 3 O + Formation at the Water Interface with Formic Acid Covered Anatase TiO 2

Carboxylic acid-modified TiO 2 surfaces in aqueous environment are of widespread interest, yet atomic-scale understanding of their structure is limited. In this work, we investigate formic acid (FA) on anatase TiO 2 (101) (A-101) in contact with water using density functional theory (DFT) and ab-initio molecular dynamics (AIMD). Isolated FA molecules adsorbed in a deprotonated bridging bidentate (BD) form on A-101 are found to remain stable at the interface with water, with the acid proton transferred to a surface oxygen to form a surface bridging hydroxyl (O br H). With increasing FA coverage, adsorbed monolayers of only BD and successively of alternating monodentate (MD) and BD species give rise to a higher concentration of surface O br H’s. Simulations of these adsorbed monolayers in water environment show that some protons are released from the surface O br H’s to water resulting in a negatively charged surface with nearby solvated H 3 O + ions. These results provide insight into the complex acid-base equilibrium between an oxide surface, adsorbates and water and can also help obtain a better understanding of the wetting properties of chemically modified TiO 2 surfaces.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗