Abstract The starting point for this work was a set of crystal structures containing the motif of interaction between methyl groups in homodimers. Two structures were selected for which QTAIM, NCI and NBO analyses suggested an attractive interaction. However, the calculated interaction energy was negative for only one of these systems. The ability of methyl groups to interact with one another is then examined by DFT calculations. A series of (CH3PnHCH3)2homodimers were allowed to interact with each other for a range of Pn atoms N, P, As, and Sb. Interaction energies of these C⋅⋅⋅C tetrel‐bonded species were below 1 kcal/mol, but could be raised to nearly 3 kcal/mol if the C atom was changed to a heavier tetrel. A strengthening of the C⋅⋅⋅C intermethyl bonds can also be achieved by introducing an asymmetry via an electron‐withdrawing substituent on one unit and a donor on the other. The attractions between the methyl and related groups occur in spite of a coulombic repulsion between σ‐holes on the two groups. NBO, AIM, and NCI tools must be interpreted with caution as they can falsely suggest bonding when the potentials are repulsive.
more »
« less
Selective deoxygenation of polar polymers using metal supported on TiO 2 nanotubes
A catalytic strategy is presented for the selective conversion of OH groups in polyols, such as EVOH, while preserving the carbon backbone with applications for the recycling and compatibilization of multilayered polymer films.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2029394
- PAR ID:
- 10561864
- Publisher / Repository:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Catalysis Science & Technology
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 16
- ISSN:
- 2044-4753
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 4622 to 4630
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract Antiferromagnetic van der Waals‐typeM2P2X6compounds provide a versatile material platform for studying 2D magnetism and relevant phenomena. Establishing ferromagnetism in 2D materials is technologically valuable. Though magnetism is generally tunable via a chemical way, it is challenging to induce ferromagnetism with isovalent chalcogen and bimetallic substitutions inM2P2X6. Here, we report co‐substitution of Cu1+and Cr3+for Ni2+in Ni2P2S6, creating CuxNi2(1‐x)CrxP2S6medium‐entropy alloys spanning a full substitution range (x= 0 to 1). Such substitution strategy leads to a unique evolution in crystal structure and magnetic phases that are distinct from traditional isovalent bimetallic doping, with Cu and Cr co‐substitution enhancing ferromagnetic correlations and generating a weak ferromagnetic phase in intermediate compositions. This aliovalent substitution strategy offers a universal approach for tuning layered magnetism in antiferromagnetic systems, which along with the potential for light‐matter interaction and high‐temperature ferroelectricity, can enable multifunctional device applications.more » « less
-
Abstract Coordination complexes of general formulatrans‐[MX2(R2ECH2CH2ER2)2] (MII=Ti, V, Cr, Mn; E=N or P; R=alkyl or aryl) are a cornerstone of coordination and organometallic chemistry. We investigate the electronic properties of two such complexes,trans‐[VCl2(tmeda)2] andtrans‐[VCl2(dmpe)2], which thus representtrans‐[MX2(R2ECH2CH2ER2)2] where M=V, X=Cl, R=Me and E=N (tmeda) and P (dmpe). These VIIcomplexes haveS=3/2 ground states, as expected for octahedral d3. Their tetragonal distortion leads to zero‐field splitting (zfs) that is modest in magnitude (D≈0.3 cm−1) relative to analogousS=1 TiIIand CrIIcomplexes. This parameter was determined from conventional EPR spectroscopy, but more effectively from high‐frequency and ‐field EPR (HFEPR) that determined the sign ofDas negative for the diamine complex, but positive for the diphosphine, which information had not been known for anytrans‐[VX2(R2ECH2CH2ER2)2] systems. The ligand‐field parameters oftrans‐[VCl2(tmeda)2] andtrans‐[VCl2(dmpe)2] are obtained using both classical theory andab initioquantum chemical theory. The results shed light not only on the electronic structure of VIIin this environment, but also on differences between N and P donor ligands, a key comparison in coordination chemistry.more » « less
-
Abstract One-dimensional c -axis-aligned BaZrO 3 (BZO) nanorods are regarded as strong one-dimensional artificial pinning centers (1D-APCs) in BZO-doped YaBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (BZO/YBCO) nanocomposite films. However, a microstructure analysis has revealed a defective, oxygen-deficient YBCO column around the BZO 1D-APCs due to the large lattice mismatch of ∼7.7% between the BZO (3a = 1.26 nm) and YBCO (c = 1.17 nm), which has been blamed for the reduced pinning efficiency of BZO 1D-APCs. Herein, we report a dynamic lattice enlargement approach on the tensile strained YBCO lattice during the BZO 1D-APCs growth to induce c -axis elongation of the YBCO lattice up to 1.26 nm near the BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface via Ca/Cu substitution on single Cu-O planes of YBCO, which prevents the interfacial defect formation by reducing the BZO/YBCO lattice mismatch to ∼1.4%. Specifically, this is achieved by inserting thin Ca 0.3 Y 0.7 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (CaY-123) spacers as the Ca reservoir in 2–6 vol.% BZO/YBCO nanocomposite multilayer (ML) films. A defect-free, coherent BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface is confirmed in transmission electron microscopy and elemental distribution analyses. Excitingly, up to five-fold enhancement of J c ( B ) at magnetic field B = 9.0 T// c -axis and 65 K–77 K was obtained in the ML samples as compared to their BZO/YBCO single-layer (SL) counterpart’s. This has led to a record high pinning force density F p together with significantly enhanced B max at which F p reaches its maximum value F p,max for BZO 1D-APCs at B // c -axis. At 65 K, the F p,max ∼158 GN m −3 and B max ∼ 8.0 T for the 6% BZO/YBCO ML samples represent a significant enhancement over F p,max ∼ 36.1 GN m −3 and B max ∼ 5.0 T for the 6% BZO/YBCO SL counterparts. This result not only illustrates the critical importance of a coherent BZO 1D-APC/YBCO interface in the pinning efficiency, but also provides a facile scheme to achieve such an interface to restore the pristine pinning efficiency of the BZO 1D-APCs.more » « less
-
Abstract A crucial step toward clean hydrogen (H2) energy production through water electrolysis is to develop high‐stability catalysts, which can be reliably used at high current densities for a long time. So far, platinum group metals (PGM) and their oxides, for example, Pt and iridium oxide (IrO2) have been well‐regarded as the criterion for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) electrocatalysts. However, the PGM catalysts usually undergo severe performance decay during the long‐term operation. Herein, the in situ growth of iron phosphosulfate (Fe2P2S6) nanocrystals (NCs) catalysts on carbon paper synthesized by combing chemical vapor deposition with solvent‐thermal treatment is reported to show competitive performance and stability as compared to the state‐of‐the‐art PGM catalysts in a real water electrolyzer. A current density of 370 mA cm−2is achieved at 1.8 V when using Fe2P2S6NCs as bifunctional catalysts in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer. The Fe2P2S6NCs also show much better stability than the Pt‐IrO2catalysts at 300 mA cm−2for a continuous 24 h test. The surface generated FeOOH on Fe2P2S6is the real active site for OER. These results indicate that the Fe2P2S6NCs potentially can be used to replace PGM catalysts for practical water electrolyzers.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

