Nitrogen Molecule Adsorption on Cationic Tantalum Clusters and Rhodium Clusters and Desorption from Their Nitride Clusters Studied by Thermal Desorption Spectrometry.
Adsorption and desorption of N2 molecules onto cationic Ta and Rh clusters in the gas phase were investigated in the temperature range of 300-1000 K by using thermal desorption spectrometry in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For Ta6(+), the first N2 molecule was found to adsorb dissociatively, and it remained adsorbed when Ta6(+)N2 was heated to 1000 K. In contrast, the second and the subsequent N2 molecules adsorbed weakly as a molecular form and were released into the gas phase when heated to 600 K. The difference can be explained in terms of the activation barrier between the molecular and dissociative forms. On the other hand, when Ta clusters were generated in the presence of N2 gas by the laser ablation of a Ta rod, isomeric clusters, TanNm(+), having heat resistivity were formed. For Rh6(+), N2 adsorbed molecularly at 300 K and desorbed totally at 450 K. These results were consistent with the DFT calculations, indicating that the dissociative adsorption of N2 is endothermic.
Consecutive reactions of small, free tantalum clusters with dioxygen controlled by relaxation dynamics.
The reaction of small cationic tantalum clusters (Tan+, n = 4-8) with molecular oxygen is studied under multi-collision conditions in the gas phase, and the reaction kinetics are analyzed in order to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Reaction pathways as well as relevant apparent rate constants are reported. Two principal pathways in the consecutive oxidation reaction are present in this size regime: solely oxidative degradation (loss of a TaO fragment) in the beginning followed by parallel intact oxidation of certain intermediate species. Selected product structures and energies are subsequently determined via density functional theory calculations. The branching between oxidative fragmentation and intact oxidation is related to the corresponding relaxation dynamics.
Transition metal oxide clusters with character of oxygen-centered radical: a DFT study
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are applied to study the structure and bonding properties of groups 3–7 transition metal oxide clusters Mx=1–3Oyq and Scx=4–6Oyq with 2y − nx + q = 1, in which n is the number of metal valence electrons and q is the charge number. These clusters include MO2, M2O3+, M2O4−, and M3O5 (M = Sc, Y, La); MO2+, MO3−, M2O4+, M2O5−, M3O6+, and M3O7− (M = Ti, Zr, Hf), and so on. The obtained lowest energy structures of most of these clusters are with character of oxygen-centered radical (O·). That is, the clusters contain oxygen atom(s) with the unpaired electron being localized on the 2p orbital(s). Chromium and manganese oxide clusters (except CrO4−) do not contain O· with the adopted DFT methods. The binding energies of the radical oxygen with the clusters are also calculated. The DFT results are supported by available experimental investigations and predict that a lot of other transition metal oxide clusters including those with mixed-metals (such as TiVO5 and CrVO6) may have high oxidative reactivity that has not been experimentally identified. The chemical structures of radical oxygen over V2O5/SiO2 and MoO3/SiO2 catalysts are suggested and the balance between high reactivity and low concentration of the radical oxygen in condensed phase catalysis is discussed.