1. |
- Bilén, Frida, 1994, et al.
(author)
-
Machine Learning-Based Interpretation of Optical Properties of Colloidal Gold with Convolutional Neural Networks
- 2024
-
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; In Press
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gold nanoparticles are used in a range of applications, but their properties depend on their shape, size, and polydispersity. A quick, easy, and accurate characterization of the particles is therefore of high importance, especially in flow synthesis settings where continuous monitoring of the characteristics is desired. Our hypothesis was that convolutional neural networks can be used to extract detailed information about structural parameters of gold nanoparticles from their UV-vis spectra, and we have shown that this is possible by predicting size distributions from in silico UV-vis spectra for colloidal gold with high accuracy. Here this was done for both spherical and rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. We also show that the addition of noise makes the prediction of diameter polydispersity more challenging, but the average diameter, and for rods also aspect ratio distribution, can be accurately predicted even with the highest evaluated level of noise. The model structure is promising and worthy of implementation to enable predictions beyond in silico generated spectra. The model, for instance, can find application in flow synthesis settings to create a machine learning-driven feedback loop for automated synthesis.
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2. |
- Dreos, Ambra, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
Liquid Norbornadiene Photoswitches for Solar Energy Storage
- 2018
-
In: Advanced Energy Materials. - : Wiley. - 1614-6832 .- 1614-6840. ; 8:18
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Due to high global energy demands, there is a great need for development of technologies for exploiting and storing solar energy. Closed cycle systems for storage of solar energy have been suggested, based on absorption of photons in photoresponsive molecules, followed by on-demand release of thermal energy. These materials are called solar thermal fuels (STFs) or molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage systems. To achieve high energy densities, ideal MOST systems are required either in solid or liquid forms. In the case of the latter, neat high performing liquid materials have not been demonstrated to date. Here is presented a set of neat liquid norbornadiene derivatives for MOST applications and their characterization in toluene solutions and neat samples. Their synthesis is in most cases based on solvent-free Diels-Alder reactions, which easily and efficiently afford a range of compounds. The shear viscosity of the obtained molecules is close to that of colza oil, and they can absorb up to 10% of the solar spectrum with a measured energy storage density of up to 577 kJ/kg corresponding to 152 kJ mol(-1) (calculated 100 kJ mol(-1)). These findings pave the way towards implementation of liquid norbornadienes in closed cycle energy storage technologies.
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3. |
- Eklöf, Johnas, 1988, et al.
(author)
-
Understanding Interactions Driving the Template-Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles at Surfaces
- 2020
-
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 124:8, s. 4660-4667
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Controlled deposition of colloidal nanoparticles using self-assembly is a promising technique for, for example, manufacturing of miniaturized electronics, and it bridges the gap between top-down and bottom-up methods. However, selecting materials and geometry of the target surface for optimal deposition results presents a significant challenge. Here, we describe a predictive framework based on the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory that allows rational design of colloidal nanoparticle deposition setups. The framework is demonstrated for a model system consisting of gold nanoparticles stabilized by trisodium citrate that are directed toward prefabricated sub-100 nm features on a silicon substrate. Experimental results for the model system are presented in conjunction with theoretical analysis to assess its reliability. It is shown that three-dimensional, nickel-coated structures are well suited for attracting gold nanoparticles and that optimization of the feature geometry based on the proposed framework leads to a systematic improvement in the number of successfully deposited particles.
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4. |
- Erhart, Paul, 1978, et al.
(author)
-
Microscopic Origin of Thermal Conductivity Reduction in Disordered van der Waals Solids
- 2015
-
In: Chemistry of Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5002 .- 0897-4756. ; 27:16, s. 5511-5518
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Films of layered substances like WSe2 can exhibit a reduction in the out-of-plane thermal conductivity of more than 1 order of magnitude compared to that of the bulk, effectively beating the glass limit (Science 2007, 315, 351). Here, we investigate the microscopic contributions that govern this behavior within the framework of Boltzmann transport theory informed by first-principles calculations. To quantitatively reproduce both the magnitude and the temperature dependence of the experimental data, one must account for both phonon confinement effects (softening and localization) and interlayer scattering. Both stacking order and layer spacing are shown to have a pronounced effect on the thermal conductivity that could be exploited to tune the balance between electrical and thermal conductivity.
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5. |
- Gray, Victor, 1988, et al.
(author)
-
Loss channels in triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion: importance of annihilator singlet and triplet surface shapes
- 2017
-
In: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1463-9084 .- 1463-9076. ; 19:17, s. 10931-10939
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion (TTA-UC) can, through a number of energy transfer processes, efficiently combine two low frequency photons into one photon of higher frequency. TTA-UC systems consist of one absorbing species (the sensitizer) and one emitting species (the annihilator). Herein, we show that the structurally similar annihilators, 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA, 1), 9-(4-phenylethynyl)10-phenylanthracene (2) and 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl) anthracene (BPEA, 3) have very different upconversion efficiencies, 15.2 +/- 2.8%, 15.9 +/- 1.3% and 1.6 +/- 0.8%, respectively (of a maximum of 50%). We show that these results can be understood in terms of a loss channel, previously unaccounted for, originating from the difference between the BPEA singlet and triplet surface shapes. The difference between the two surfaces results in a fraction of the triplet state population having geometries not energetically capable of forming the first singlet excited state. This is supported by TD-DFT calculations of the annihilator excited state surfaces as a function of phenyl group rotation. We thereby highlight that the commonly used "spin-statistical factor'' should be used with caution when explaining TTA-efficiencies. Furthermore, we show that the precious metal free zinc octaethylporphyrin (ZnOEP) can be used for efficient sensitization and that the upconversion quantum yield is maximized when sensitizer-annihilator spectral overlap is minimized (ZnOEP with 2).
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6. |
- Jain, Titoo, et al.
(author)
-
Additional Article Notification: Anisotropic growth of gold nanoparticles using cationic gemini surfactants: effects of structure variations in head and tail groups
- 2014
-
In: Journal of Materials Chemistry C. - 2050-7534 .- 2050-7526. ; 2:17, s. 3476-3485
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A library of gemini surfactants is employed to study surfactant directed anisotropic growth of gold nanoparticles. The surfactants are modified with respect to the length and type of the tails, as well as of the spacer group. By analyzing the structure of the anisotropic nanoparticles, it is possible to extract information on how the structure of the surfactants influences the anisotropic gold nanocrystal growth. We find that the tail length of the surfactants has a greater influence on the resulting nanoparticle aspect ratio compared to the chemical nature of the spacer group. While clear trends between the aspect ratio and the tail as well as spacer length remain elusive, we observe that surfactants with a critical micelle concentration of similar to 1 mM produce particles with the highest aspect ratio. A crystallographic analysis of nanorods obtained using gemini surfactants reveals that they grow along 100 and are bound by {310} facets. This observation, which is specific for gemini surfactants, is explained by taking into account the preferential alignment of gemini surfactants with surface steps as suggested by electronic structure calculations.
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7. |
- Jain, T., et al.
(author)
-
Anisotropic growth of gold nanoparticles using cationic gemini surfactants: effects of structure variations in head and tail groups
- 2014
-
In: Journal of Materials Chemistry C. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2050-7534 .- 2050-7526. ; 2:6, s. 994-1003
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A library of gemini surfactants is employed to study surfactant directed anisotropic growth of gold nanoparticles. The surfactants are modified with respect to the length and type of the tails, as well as of the spacer group. By analyzing the structure of the anisotropic nanoparticles, it is possible to extract information on how the structure of the surfactants influences the anisotropic gold nanocrystal growth. We find that the tail length of the surfactants has a greater influence on the resulting nanoparticle aspect ratio compared to the chemical nature of the spacer group. While clear trends between the aspect ratio and the tail as well as spacer length remain elusive, we observe that surfactants with a critical micelle concentration of similar to 1 mM produce particles with the highest aspect ratio. A crystallographic analysis of nanorods obtained using gemini surfactants reveals that they grow along and are bound by {310} facets. This observation, which is specific for gemini surfactants, is explained by taking into account the preferential alignment of gemini surfactants with surface steps as suggested by electronic structure calculations.
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8. |
- Jevric, Martyn, 1973, et al.
(author)
-
Norbornadiene-Based Photoswitches with Exceptional Combination of Solar Spectrum Match and Long-Term Energy Storage
- 2018
-
In: Chemistry - A European Journal. - : Wiley. - 1521-3765 .- 0947-6539. ; 24:49, s. 12767-12772
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Norbornadiene-quadricyclane (NBD-QC) photoswitches are candidates for applications in solar thermal energy storage. Functionally, they rely on an intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition reaction, which couples the S0 landscape on the NBD side to the S1 landscape on the QC side of the reaction and vice-versa. This commonly results in an unfavourable correlation between the first absorption maximum and the barrier for thermal back-conversion. This work demonstrates that this correlation can be counteracted by using steric repulsion to hamper the rotational motion of the side groups along the back-conversion path. It is shown that this modification reduces the correlation between the effective back-conversion barrier and the first absorption maximum and also increases the back-conversion entropy. The resulting molecules exhibit exceptionally long half-lives for their metastable forms without significantly affecting other properties, most notably solar spectrum match and storage density.
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9. |
- Klein, Andreas, et al.
(author)
-
The Fermi energy as common parameter to describe charge compensation mechanisms: A path to Fermi level engineering of oxide electroceramics
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Electroceramics. - 1573-8663 .- 1385-3449. ; 51
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chemical substitution, which can be iso- or heterovalent, is the primary strategy to tailor material properties. There are various ways how a material can react to substitution. Isovalent substitution changes the density of states while heterovalent substitution, i.e. doping, can induce electronic compensation, ionic compensation, valence changes of cations or anions, or result in the segregation or neutralization of the dopant. While all these can, in principle, occur simultaneously, it is often desirable to select a certain mechanism in order to determine material properties. Being able to predict and control the individual compensation mechanism should therefore be a key target of materials science. This contribution outlines the perspective that this could be achieved by taking the Fermi energy as a common descriptor for the different compensation mechanisms. This generalization becomes possible since the formation enthalpies of the defects involved in the various compensation mechanisms do all depend on the Fermi energy. In order to control material properties, it is then necessary to adjust the formation enthalpies and charge transition levels of the involved defects. Understanding how these depend on material composition will open up a new path for the design of materials by Fermi level engineering.
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10. |
- Kuisma, Mikael Juhani, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Comparative Ab-Initio Study of Substituted Norbornadiene-Quadricyclane Compounds for Solar Thermal Storage
- 2016
-
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 120:7, s. 3635-3645
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular photoswitches that are capable of storing solar energy, so-called molecular solar thermal storage systems, are interesting candidates for future renewable energy applications. In this context, substituted norbornadiene-quadricyclane systems have received renewed interest due to recent advances in their synthesis. The optical, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties of these systems can vary dramatically depending on the chosen substituents. The molecular design of optimal compounds therefore requires a detailed understanding of the effect of individual substituents as well as their interplay. Here, we model absorption spectra, potential energy storage, and thermal barriers for back-conversion of several substituted systems using both single-reference (density functional theory using PBE, B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, M06, M06-2x, and M06-L functionals as well as MP2 calculations) and multireference methods (complete active space techniques). Already the diaryl substituted compound displays a strong red shift compared to the unsubstituted system, which is shown to result from the extension of the conjugated pi-system upon substitution. Using specific donor/acceptor groups gives rise to a further albeit relatively smaller red-shift. The calculated storage energy is found to be rather insensitive to the specific substituents, although solvent effects are likely to be important and require further study. The barrier for thermal back-conversion exhibits strong multireference character and as a result is noticeably correlated with the red-shift. Two possible reaction paths for the thermal back-conversion of diaryl substituted quadricyclane are identified and it is shown that among the compounds considered the path via the acceptor side is systematically favored. Finally, the present study establishes the basis for high-throughput screening of norbornadiene-quadricyclane compounds as it provides guidelines for the level of accuracy that can be expected for key properties from several different techniques.
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11. |
- Kuisma, Mikael Juhani, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Optimization of Norbornadiene Compounds for Solar Thermal Storage by First-Principles Calculations
- 2016
-
In: ChemSusChem. - : Wiley. - 1864-5631 .- 1864-564X. ; 9:14, s. 1786-1794
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular photoswitches capable of storing solar energy are interesting candidates for future renewable energy applications. Here, using quantum mechanical calculations, we carry out a systematic screening of crucial optical (solar spectrum match) and thermal (storage energy density) properties of 64 such compounds based on the norbornadiene-quadricyclane system. Whereas a substantial number of these molecules reach the theoretical maximum solar power conversion efficiency, this requires a strong red-shift of the absorption spectrum, which causes undesirable absorption by the photoisomer as well as reduced thermal stability. These compounds typically also have a large molecular mass, leading to low storage densities. By contrast, single-substituted systems achieve a good compromise between efficiency and storage density, while avoiding competing absorption by the photo-isomer. This establishes guiding principles for the future development of molecular solar thermal storage systems.
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12. |
- Lin, Yuan-Chih, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
Understanding the Interactions between Vibrational Modes and Excited State Relaxation in Y₃₋ₓCeₓAl₅O₁₂: Design Principles for Phosphors Based on 5d-4f Transitions
- 2018
-
In: Chemistry of Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5002 .- 0897-4756. ; 30:6, s. 1865-1877
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The oxide garnet Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG), when a few percent of the activator ions Ce 3+ substitutes for Y 3+ , is a luminescent material widely used in phosphor-converted white lighting. However, fundamental questions surrounding the defect chemistry and luminescent per formance of this material remain, especially in regard to the nature and role of vibrational dynamics. Here, we provide a complete phonon assignment of YAG and establish the general spectral trends upon variation of the Ce 3+ dopant concentration and temperature, which are shown to correlate with the macroscopic luminescence properties of Y 3-x Ce x Al 5 O 12 . Increasing the Ce 3+ concentration and/or temperature leads to a red-shift of the emitted light, as a result of increased crystal-field splitting due to a larger tetragonal distortion of the CeO 8 moieties. Decreasing the Ce 3+ concentration or cosubstitution of smaller and/or lighter atoms on the Y sites creates the potential to suppress thermal quenching of luminescence because the frequencies of phonon modes important for nonradiative relaxation mechanisms are upward-shifted and hence less readily activated. It follows that design principles for finding new Ce 3+ -doped oxide phosphors emitting at longer wavelengths require tetragonally distorted environments around the CeO 8 moieties and a sufficiently rigid host structure and/or low activator-ion concentration to avoid thermal quenching of luminescence.
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13. |
- Lin, Yuan-Chih, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
Vibrationally induced color shift tuning of photoluminescence in Ce³⁺-doped garnet phosphors
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Materials Chemistry C. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2050-7534 .- 2050-7526. ; 7:41, s. 12926-12934
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A critical challenge in the field of phosphor converted white light emitting diodes (pc-WLEDs) pertains to understanding and controlling the variation of emission color with device temperature. Here we, through a combined photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy study of the three garnet type phosphors Ce3+-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG:Ce3+), Ca3Sc2Si3O12 (CSS:Ce3+), and Sr3Y2Ge3O12 (SYG:Ce3+), show that the color of the PL is systematically shifted upon changing the operation temperature of the phosphor. A general trend is observed that the PL exhibits a red-shift as a function of increasing temperature, until the point at which the vibrational modes of the CeO8 moieties, which induce dynamical tetragonal distortions of the CeO8 dodecahedra, are fully activated. Upon further temperature increase, the PL turns to a blue-shift because of a counteracting and predominating effect of thermal lattice expansion that progressively makes the CeO8 dodecahedra more cubal like. Since this behavior is the result of the symmetry relations intrinsic to the garnet structure, the present mechanism can be generally applicable to materials of this type. It thereby provides a route for tuning the PL of this important class of phosphor materials.
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14. |
- Lindroth, Daniel, 1978, et al.
(author)
-
Thermal conductivity in intermetallic clathrates: A first-principles perspective
- 2019
-
In: Physical Review B. - 2469-9969 .- 2469-9950. ; 100:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inorganic clathrates such as Ba8GaxGe46-x and Ba8AlxSi46-x commonly exhibit very low thermal conductivities. A quantitative computational description of this important property has proven difficult, in part due to the large unit cell, the role of disorder, and the fact that both electronic carriers and phonons contribute to transport. Here, we conduct a systematic analysis of the temperature and composition dependence of low-frequency modes associated with guest species in Ba8GaxGe46-x and Ba8AlxSi46-x ("rattler modes"), as well as thermal transport in stoichiometric Ba8Ga16Ge30. To this end, we account for phonon-phonon interactions by means of temperature-dependent effective interatomic force constants, which we find to be crucial in order to achieve an accurate description of the lattice part of the thermal conductivity. While the analysis of the thermal conductivity is often largely focused on the rattler modes, here it is shown that at room temperatures modes with ω 10meV account for 50% of lattice heat transport. Finally, the electronic contribution to the thermal conductivity is computed, which shows the Wiedemann-Franz law to be only approximately fulfilled. As a result, it is crucial to employ the correct prefactor when separating electronic and lattice contributions for experimental data.
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15. |
- Lindroth, Daniel, 1978, et al.
(author)
-
Thermal transport in van der Waals solids from first-principles calculations
- 2016
-
In: Physical Review B. - 2469-9969 .- 2469-9950. ; 94:11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The lattice thermal expansion and conductivity in bulk Mo and W-based transition metal dichalcogenides are investigated by means of density functional and Boltzmann transport theory calculations. To this end, a recent van der Waals density functional (vdW-DF-CX) is employed, which is shown to yield excellent agreement with reference data for the structural parameters. The calculated in-plane thermal conductivity compares well with experimental room-temperature values, when phonon-phonon and isotopic scattering are included. To explain the behavior over the entire available temperature range one must, however, include additional (temperature independent) scattering mechanisms that limit the mean free path. Generally, the primary heat carrying modes have mean free paths of 1 mu m or more, which makes these materials very susceptible to structural defects. The conductivity of Mo- and W-based transition metal dichalcogenides is primarily determined by the chalcogenide species and increases in the order Te-Se-S. While for the tellurides and selenides the transition metal element has a negligible effect, the conductivity of WS2 is notably higher than for MoS2, which may be traced to the much larger phonon band gap of the former. Overall, the present study provides a consistent set of thermal conductivities that reveal chemical trends and constitute the basis for future investigations of van der Waals solids.
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16. |
- Löfgren, Joakim, 1989, et al.
(author)
-
Understanding the Phase Diagram of Self-Assembled Monolayers of Alkanethiolates on Gold
- 2016
-
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 120:22, s. 12059-12067
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alkanethiolate monolayers on gold are important both for applications in nanoscience as well as fundamental studies of adsorption and self-assembly at metal surfaces. While considerable experimental effort has been put into understanding the phase diagram of these systems, theoretical work based on density functional theory (DFT) has long been hampered by the inability of conventional exchange-correlation functionals to describe dispersive interactions. In this work, we combine dispersion-corrected DFT calculations using the new vdW-DF-CX functional with the ab initio thermodynamics method to study the stability of dense standing-up and low-coverage lying-down phases on Au(111). We demonstrate that the lying-down phase has a thermodynamic region of stability starting from thiolates with alkyl chains consisting of n ? 3 methylene units. This phase emerges as a consequence of a competition between dispersive chain-chain and chain-substrate interactions, where the strength of the latter varies more strongly with n. A phase diagram is derived under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions, detailing the phase transition temperatures of the system as a function of the chain length. The present work illustrates that accurate ab initio modeling of dispersive interactions is both feasible and essential for describing self-assembled monolayers.
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17. |
- Manso, Mads, 1991, et al.
(author)
-
Molecular solar thermal energy storage in photoswitch oligomers increases energy densities and storage times
- 2018
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723 .- 2041-1723. ; 9:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular photoswitches can be used for solar thermal energy storage by photoisomerization into high-energy, meta-stable isomers; we present a molecular design strategy leading to photoswitches with high energy densities and long storage times. High measured energy densities of up to 559 kJ kg(-1) (155 Wh kg(-1)), long storage lifetimes up to 48.5 days, and high quantum yields of conversion of up to 94% per subunit are demonstrated in norbornadiene/quadricyclane (NBD/QC) photo-/thermoswitch couples incorporated into dimeric and trimeric structures. By changing the linker unit between the NBD units, we can at the same time fine-tune light-harvesting and energy densities of the dimers and trimers so that they exceed those of their monomeric analogs. These new oligomers thereby meet several of the criteria to be met for an optimum molecule to ultimately enter actual devices being able to undergo closed cycles of solar light-harvesting, energy storage, and heat release.
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18. |
- Mansø, Mads, et al.
(author)
-
Dithiafulvene derivatized donor-acceptor norbornadienes with redshifted absorption
- 2019
-
In: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1463-9084 .- 1463-9076. ; 21:6, s. 3092-3097
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Photoisomerization of norbornadiene (N) to its metastable isomer quadricyclane (Q) has attracted interest as a strategy for harvesting and storing solar energy. For this strategy to mature the absorption maximum of N has to be moved from the UV to the visible region. Here we show that functionalization of the system with dithiafulvene (DTF) electron donors causes remarkable redshifts of various N derivatives. Thus, some derivatives were found to absorb light with an absorption onset up to 556 nm. The incorporation of DTF units comes, however, with a drawback with regard to achieving reversible N-to-Q and Q-to-N isomerizations. For some derivatives, the photoisomerization was completely quenched. The compounds were subjected to a computational study to shed light on the underlying reason for this reluctance to undergo photoisomerization. The computational study revealed that in these systems, the first excited state (S 1 ) is positioned close to or lower than the transition state for photoconversion, effectively blocking a possible conversion to Q, thus revealing a practical challenge for the future design of N-Q energy storage systems with an improved solar spectrum match.
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19. |
- Quant, Maria, 1985, et al.
(author)
-
Low Molecular Weight Norbornadiene Derivatives for Molecular Solar-Thermal Energy Storage
- 2016
-
In: Chemistry - A European Journal. - : Wiley. - 1521-3765 .- 0947-6539. ; 22:37, s. 13265-13274
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular solar-thermal energy storage systems are based on molecular switches that reversibly convert solar energy into chemical energy. Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and computational evaluation of a series of low molecular weight (193-260 g mol(-1)) norbornadiene-quadricyclane systems. The molecules feature cyano acceptor and ethynyl-substituted aromatic donor groups, leading to a good match with solar irradiation, quantitative photo-thermal conversion between the norbornadiene and quadricyclane, as well as high energy storage densities (396-629 kJ kg(-1)). The spectroscopic properties and energy storage capability have been further evaluated through density functional theory calculations, which indicate that the ethynyl moiety plays a critical role in obtaining the high oscillator strengths seen for these molecules.
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20. |
- Quant, Maria, 1985, et al.
(author)
-
Solvent effects on the absorption profile, kinetic stability, and photoisomerization process of the norbornadiene-quadricyclanes system
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 123:12, s. 7081-7087
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular photoswitches based on the norbornadiene-quadricyclane (NBD-QC) couple can be used to store solar energy and to release the stored energy as heat on demand. In this context, the energy storage time as well as the quantum yield of the energy storing reaction are important parameters. Here, we explore for the first time solvent effects on these processes for a series of four NBD-QC compounds in four different solvents with different polarity (acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, and hexane). We show that the energy storage time of the QC forms can vary by up to a factor of 2 when going from the most to the least polar solvent. Moreover, we show that for the norbornadiene derivatives with an asymmetric 1,2 substitution pattern, the quantum yield of conversion is highly solvent dependent, whereas this is not the case for the symmetrically substituted compounds. The spectroscopic observations are further rationalized using classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations. These demonstrate the importance of vibrational and rotational excitations for obtaining broad-band absorption, which is a prerequisite for capturing a wide range of the solar spectrum.
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21. |
- Rahm, Magnus, 1990, et al.
(author)
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A Library of Late Transition Metal Alloy Dielectric Functions for Nanophotonic Applications
- 2020
-
In: Advanced Functional Materials. - : Wiley. - 1616-3028 .- 1616-301X. ; 30:35
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Accurate complex dielectric functions are critical to accelerate the development of rationally designed metal alloy systems for nanophotonic applications, and to thereby unlock the potential of alloying for tailoring nanostructure optical properties. To date, however, accurate alloy dielectric functions are widely lacking. Here, a time-dependent density-functional theory computational framework is employed to compute a comprehensive binary alloy dielectric function library for the late transition metals most commonly employed in plasmonics (Ag, Au, Cu, Pd, Pt). Excellent agreement is found between electrodynamic simulations based on these dielectric functions and selected alloy systems experimentally scrutinized in 10 at% composition intervals. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the dielectric functions can vary in very non-linear fashion with composition, which paves the way for non-trivial optical response optimization by tailoring material composition. The presented dielectric function library is thus a key resource for the development of alloy nanomaterials for applications in nanophotonics, optical sensors, and photocatalysis.
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22. |
- Wang, Zhihang, 1989, et al.
(author)
-
Storing energy with molecular photoisomers
- 2021
-
In: Joule. - : Elsevier BV. - 2542-4351. ; 5:12, s. 3116-3136
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Some molecular photoisomers can be isomerized to a metastable high-energy state by exposure to light. These molecules can then be thermally or catalytically converted back to their initial state, releasing heat in the process. Such a reversible photochemical process has been considered for developing molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems. In this review, we introduce the concept, criteria, and state-of-the-art of MOST systems, with an emphasis on the three most promising molecular systems: norbornadiene/quadricyclane, E/Z-azobenzene, and dihydroazulene/vinylheptafulvene. After discussing the fundamental working principles, we focus on molecular design strategies for improving solar energy storage performance, remaining challenges, and potential focus areas. Finally, we summarize the current molecular incorporation into functional devices and conclude with a perspective on challenges and future directions.
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23. |
- Ångqvist, Mattias, 1989, et al.
(author)
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Optimization of the Thermoelectric Power Factor: Coupling between Chemical Order and Transport Properties
- 2016
-
In: Chemistry of Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5002 .- 0897-4756. ; 28:19, s. 6877-6885
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many thermoelectric materials are multicomponent systems that exhibit chemical ordering, which can affect both thermodynamic and transport properties. Here, we address the coupling between order and thermoelectric performance in the case of a prototypical inorganic clathrate (Ba8Ga16Ge30) using a combination of density functional and Boltzmann transport theory as well as alloy cluster expansions and Monte Carlo simulations. The calculations describe the experimentally observed site occupancy factors and reproduce experimental data for the transport coefficients. By inverting the cluster expansion, we demonstrate that the power factor can be increased by more than 60% for certain chemical ordering patterns that involve reducing the number of the trivalent species on the 6c Wyckoff site. This enhancement is traced to specific features of the electronic band structure. The approach taken in the present work can be readily adapted to other materials and enables a very general form of band structure engineering. In this fashion, it can guide the computational design of compounds with optimal transport properties.
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24. |
- Aurino, Pier Paolo, 1985, et al.
(author)
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Reversible metal-insulator transition of Ar-irradiated LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 2469-9950 .- 2469-9969. ; 92:15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The conducting state of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (q2DEG), formed at the heterointerface between the two wide-bandgap insulators LaAlO3 (LAO) and SrTiO3, can be made completely insulating by low-energy, 150-eV, Ar+ irradiation. The metallic behavior of the interface can be recovered by high-temperature oxygen annealing. The electrical transport properties of the recovered q2DEG are exactly the same as before the irradiation. Microstructural investigations confirm that the transition is not due to physical etching or crystal lattice distortion of the LAO film below its critical thickness. They also reveal a correlation between electrical state, LAO film surface amorphization, and argon ion implantation. The experimental results are in agreement with density functional theory calculations of Ar implantation and migration in the LAO film. This suggests that the metal-insulator transition may be caused by charge trapping in the defect amorphous layer created during the ion irradiation.
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25. |
- Bancerek, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Origin of Macroscopic Observables of Strongly Coupled Metal Nanoparticle-Molecule Systems from Microscopic Electronic Properties
- 2024
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 128:23, s. 9749-9757
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Strongly coupled light-matter systems are becoming a ubiquitous platform for investigating an increasing number of physical phenomena from modifying charge transport, altered emission, and relaxation pathways to selective or enhanced chemical reactivity. Such systems are investigated across a large length scale from few-nanometer-sized particles to macroscopic cavities encompassing many interacting moieties. Describing these numerous and varied physical systems is attempted in various ways from classical coupled harmonic oscillator models through quantum Hamiltonians to ab initio modeling. Here, by combining time-dependent density functional theory modeling and analysis with macroscopic models, we elucidate the origin of modifications of effective interaction parameters in terms of microscopic changes to the electronic density and Kohn-Sham transitions of the plasmonic particle and its coupled molecular counterpart. Specifically, we demonstrate how the emergence of mixed metal-molecular states and transitions modifies the effective resonances of the underlying plasmon and molecule in the regime of strong coupling and how these changes subsequently lead to the formation of mixed light-matter polaritons.
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