In this thesis, we studied the self-assembly of nanoparticles at liquid metal-water interfaces and oil-water interfaces. We demonstrated a simple approach to form nanostructured electronic devices by self-assembly of nanoparticles at liquid metal surfaces. In this approach, two liquid-metal droplets, which were coated with a monolayer of ligand-stabilized nanoparticles, were brought into contact. They did not coalesce but instead remained separated by the nanoparticles assembled at the interface. Devices formed by this method showed electron transport between droplets that was characteristic of the Coulomb blockade, where current was suppressed below a tunable threshold voltage because of the energy of charging individual nanoparticles. Further studies of this approach demonstrated the potential of interfacial assembly in fabricating microscopic electronic devices over a large area in a cost-effective and time-efficient fashion. Micrometer-scale Ga droplets coated with nanoparticles were fabricated using ultrasonication and then deposited on patterned substrates to form microscopic devices. I-V measurements showed Coulomb blockade effect in the devices containing more than one nanoparticle junction. The measured threshold voltages increased with number of junctions as expected for devices arranged in series. We also studied experimentally the energy of adsorption of nanoparticles and microparticles at the oil-water and Ga-water interfaces by monitoring the decrease of interfacial tension as the particles bind. For citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles assembling on a droplet of octafluoropentyl acrylate, we found adsorption energy =-5.1 kBT for particle radius R = 2.5 nm, and adsorption energy scales R^2 for larger sizes. Gold nanoparticles with (1-mercaptoundec-11-yl) tetra(ethylene glycol) ligand had a much larger binding energy (-60.4 kBT) and an energy barrier against adsorption. For polystyrene spheres with R = 1.05 micrometer, we found adsorption energy =-0.9*10^6 kBT. We also found that the binding energy depended on the composition of the oil phase and could be tuned by the salt concentration of the nanoparticle suspension. At Ga-water interfaces, we found that adsorption energy of Au-cit and Au-TEG nanoparticles were much larger. We have also studied desorption of polystyrene microparticles from oil-water interfaces by changing experimental conditions, including addition of nanoparticles, cross-linking ligand molecules or in response to chemical interactions between the particles and the oil. We found that microparticles can desorb even though the adsorption energy is large. We also found that the desorbed particle formed a surprising `tail'-like structure.

In this study, we used the Density functional theory (DFT) to obtain the relationship between mechanical property and electronic property of Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) under the uni-axial strain. Moreover, we also investigated one CO molecule adsorbed on the BNNTs under the uni-axial strain. We also use the molecular dynamics to introduce the mechanical property and dynamic behavior of (8,8)BNNT under the uni-axial strain. There were three parts in this study: The first part: The effect of uni-axial strain on the electronic properties of (5,5) and (8,0)boron nitride nanotubes were obtained by DFT calculation. We used the HOMO-LUMO Gap¡Bbond angle¡Bbond length and radial buckling to analyze the electronic properties and mechanical properties. The stress-strain profiles indicated that different BNNTs types displayed very similar mechanical properties, but there were variations in HOMO-LUMO gaps at different strains, indicating that the electronic properties of BNNTs not only depend on uni-axial strain, but on BNNT type. In addition, the variations in nanotube geometries, partial density of states (PDOS) and charges of boron and nitride atoms were also discussed for (8,0) and (5,5) BNNTs at different strains. The second part: The DFT was used to investigate electronic properties of CO molecule adsorbed on BNNT under the uni-axial strain. The stress-strain profiles indicated that the CO molecule adsorption on BNNT leaded only to a local mechanical deformation. The strength of BNNT could not be affected when the CO molecule adsorbed on that. Moreover, we obtained that the charge of CO will slightly transfer to the adsorbed atom of BNNT when strain increased. Hence, the adsorption energy increased slightly under the uni-axial strain. The third part: The molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate deformation behaviors of (8,8)BN nanotubes under axial tensile strains at 300k. Variations with the tensile strain in the axial stress, bond lengths, bond angles, radial buckling, and slip vectors were all examined. The axial, radial, and tangential components of the slip vector were also employed to monitor, respectively, the local elongation, necking, and twisting deformation near the failure of the nanotube. The components of the slip vector grew rapidly and abruptly after the failure strain, especially for the axial component. This implies that the local elongation dominates the failure of the loaded BN nanotube and finally results in a chain-like tensile failure mode.

Les interactions gaz-grains jouent un rôle important dans la chimie des milieux interstellaires et protoplanétaires. Le paramètre-clé qui gouverne les échanges entre la surface des grains et la phase gazeuse est l’énergie d’adsorption Ea. Ce travail a pour but de développer une approche jointe expérimentale et théorique afin de déterminer les énergies d’adsorption pour des atomes et molécules d’intérêt astrophysique sur des substrats-modèles des surfaces des grains de poussière interstellaires. Expérimentalement, la méthode employée est la désorption programmée en température (TPD). Le travail a contribué en l’établissement d’une méthode de traitement des courbes de désorption, basée sur une distribution d’énergie d’adsorption et utilisant un set limité de données à plusieurs rampes de chauffage, pour déterminer le couple de paramètres de l’équation de Polanyi-Wigner que sont l’énergie d’adsorption et le préfacteur. D’un point de vue de la chimie théorique, les énergies d’adsorption sont déterminées en utilisant la théorie de la fonctionnelle de la densité (DFT) implémentée dans le module Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP). Cette méthode permet également d’accéder aux géométries d’adsorption, ainsi qu’aux différents sites sur la surface. La méthode expérimentale a été validée par une comparaison avec un système connu : l’adsorption du méthanol CH3OH sur le graphite. L’adsorption des gaz rares Ar/Kr/Xe sur les glaces d’eau a été étudiée comme un cas d’intérêt pour la planétologie. L’adsorption de l’acétonitrile (CH3CN) et de son isomère l’isoacétonitrile (CH3NC) sur les surfaces de graphite, de quartz et de glaces d’eau a également été étudiée, puisque ces deux molécules sont détectées dans le milieu interstellaire. Les énergies d'adsorption trouvées dans le cadre de ce travail seront intégrées dans la base des données KIDA. / Gas-grain interaction plays an important role in the chemistry of the cold interstellar medium and protoplanetary disks. A key parameter for modeling the exchange between grain surfaces and gas phase is adsorption energy, Ea. This work aims to develop a reliable and systematic experimental/theoretical approach to determine the adsorption energies of relevant atoms and molecules on models of interstellar grain surfaces. Employed experimental technique is the Temperature Programmed Desorption. Developed experimental protocol and data treatment technique based on distribution of adsorption energies and use of a set of heating rates enable to determine the coupled parameters of Polanyi-Wigner equation: adsorption energy Ea and prefactor N. Computational chemistry approach, Density Functional Theory (DFT) as implemented in Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) is used to get the insight on the behaviour of the surface-adsorbate systems at the atomic level. This approach allows as well to determine adsorption energies. A presence of multiple adsorption sites with different adsorption energies is predicted. Methanol CH3OH adsorption on graphite is used as a known example to validate the technique. Ar/Kr/Xe adsorption on water ice is studied as a case relevant for planetology. Acetonitrile (CH_3CN) and methyl isocyanide (CH_3NC) adsorption on water ice, quartz and graphite is investigated since those two molecules are both detected in the interstellar medium. Adsorption energies determined in this work will be included in KIDA database.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In this thesis two research objectives have been accomplished using computational simulation techniques. (1) The surface segregation phenomena in the surfaces of (111), unreconstructed (110) and reconstructed (1x2) missing row (110) surfaces of Pt-Ni and Pt-Co disordered alloys have been accurately predicted using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation method, and (2) the configuration and energy of the adsorption of O, O2, OH, and H2O molecules which are presented in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the surface of pure Pt and surface-segregated Pt-binary alloys (i.e., Pt-Ni, Pt-Co and Pt-Fe) have been determined using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This thesis yields some guiding principles for designing novel catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The Pt concentration profiles of the surfaces of Pt-Ni and Pt-Co alloys were attained from the MC simulations in which the system energy was evaluated through the developed modified embedded atom method (MEAM) for Pt-Ni and Pt-Co alloys. It was found from our simulations that the Pt atoms strongly segregate to the outermost layer and the Ni atoms segregate to the second sub-layer in the (111) surface of both Pt-Ni and Pt-Co alloys. When Pt concentration is higher than 75 at.%, pure Pt top layer could be formed in the outermost layer (111) surface of both alloys. Moreover, segregation reversal phenomenon (Ni atoms segregating to the outermost layer while Pt atoms to the second sub-layer) was observed in our MC simulations of unreconstructed (110) surface of Pt-Ni alloys. In contrast, a Pt enriched outermost surface layer was found in a Pt-Ni reconstructed (1x2) missing row (110) surface. Our MC simulation results agree well with published experimental observations. In addition, adsorption of atomic and molecular oxygen, water and hydroxyl on the (111) and (100) surfaces of pure Pt and Pt-based alloys (Pt-Ni, Pt-Co and Pt-Fe) were studied using spin DFT method and assuming a coverage of 0.25 monolayer. Both the optimized configurations and the corresponding adsorption energies for each species were obtained in this study. In particular, we elucidated the influence of the adsorption energies of atomic oxygen and OH on the activity for ORR on Pt binary alloy catalysts in acidic environment. The calculated adsorption energies of atomic oxygen on the (111) surfaces of pure Pt, Pt-Ni, Pt-Co and Pt-Fe are -3.967 eV, -3.502 eV, -3.378 eV and -3.191 eV, respectively. The calculated adsorption energies of hydroxyl on the (111) surfaces of pure Pt, Pt-Ni, Pt-Co and Pt-Fe are -2.384 eV, -2.153 eV, -2.217 eV and -2.098 eV, respectively. The interaction between the adsorbed atomic and hydroxyl and the corresponding (111) surface becomes weaker for the surface-segregated alloys compared to pure Pt catalyst. The same results were obtained for the (100) surfaces.

<p>In the present work, the structural, electronic properties, thermodynamic stability and adatom surface movements of oxygen and sulfur adsorption on the Fe surface were studied based on the ab initio method.</p><p>Firstly, the oxygen adsorbed on the iron (100) surface is investigated at the three adsorption sites top, bridge and hollow sites, respectively. Adsorption energy, work function and surface geometries were calculated, the hollow site was found to be the most stable adsorption site, Which is in agreement with the experiments. In addition, the difference charge density of the different adsorption systems was calculated to analyze the interaction and bonding properties between Fe and O. It can be found out that the charge redistribution was related to the geometry relaxation.</p><p>Secondly, the sulfur coverage is considered from a quarter of one monolayer (1ML) to a full monolayer. Our calculated results indicate that the most likely site for S adsorption is the hollow site on Fe (100). We find that the work function and its change Df increased with S coverage, in very good agreement with experiments. Due to a recent discussion regarding the influence of charge transfer on Df, we show that the increase in Df can be explained by the increasing surface dipole moment as a function of S coverage. In addition, the Fe-S bonding was analyzed. Finally, the thermodynamic stabilities of the different structures were evaluated as a function the sulfur chemical potential.</p><p>Finally, a two dimensional (2D) gas model was proposed to simulate the surface active elements, oxygen and sulfur atoms, movement on the Fe (100) surface. The average velocity of oxygen and sulfur atoms was found out to be related to the vibration frequencies and energy barrier in the final expression developed. The calculated results were based on the density function and thermodynamics & statistical physics theories. In addition, this 2D gas model can be used to simulate and give an atomic view of the complex interfacial phenomena in the steelmaking refining process.</p>

Um die Korrelation zwischen Partikelgröße und Reaktivität von Pd Nanopartikeln auf Eisenoxid zu untersuchen wurde die experimentelle Methode Einkristalladsorptionskalorimetrie mit der Präparation von Modellsystemen kombiniert. Da diese Systeme mit mikroskopischen Methoden untersucht wurden, liegen detaillierte strukturelle Informationen vor. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Adsorptionsenergie auf 3.4 nm großen Pd Nanopartikeln um 69 kJ/mol höher ist als auf Pd(111). Dieser Effekt resultiert aus der Änderung des Adsorptionsplatzes von Facettenplätzen auf Pd(111) zu Kantenplätzen auf Pd Nanopartikeln. Die Änderung der Partikelgröße im Bereich 3.4 nm - 1.9 nm führt zu einer Verringerung der Adsorptionsenergie um 70 kJ/mol. Eine Reduktion der Adsorptionsenergie auf kleineren Nanopartikeln wurde auch für CO gemessen. Die Differenz in der Pd-O Bindungsenergie zwischen den verschiedenen Systemen verringert sich bei erhöhter Adsorbatbedeckung. Die Anzahl adsorbierter Sauerstoffatome auf frisch präparierten Pd Nanopartikeln bei 300 K ist um drei bis vier mal höher als die Anzahl an Sauerstoffatomen welche Pd Oberflächenplätze sättigen können. Diese Beobachtung kann mit Sauerstoffdiffusion in die Nanopartikel oder in den Träger erklärt werden. Die Wechselwirkung zwischen Sauerstoff und CO auf Pd(111) und Pd Nanopartikeln verschiedener Größen wurde als Funktion der Bedeckung studiert. Aufgrund der CO-O Wechselwirkung verringert sich die CO Adsorptionsenergie um ~40 kJ/mol auf sauerstoffvorbedeckten Pd(111) und Pd Nanopartikeln der Größen 2.9 nm und 3.4 nm. / To determine the correlation between the particle size and the reactivity of Pd nanoparticles, which are supported on iron oxide, the experimental method single crystal adsorption calorimetry has been combined with the preparation of model systems. Detailed structural information on the supported systems is available from previous structural studies. It was found that the oxygen adsorption energy is 69 kJ/mol higher on 3.4 nm sized Pd nanoparticles compared to Pd(111) due to a change of the local adsorption site from threefold hollow to low coordinated sites. A reduction of the particle size in the range 3.4 nm - 1.9 nm was found to lead to a decrease of the adsorption energy by 70 kJ/mol. A reduction of the adsorbate binding energy has also been found for CO. The difference in the Pd-O binding energy between the different systems decreases with increasing coverage. It was demonstrated that the number of adsorbed oxygen atoms on freshly prepared Pd nanoparticles at 300 K is three to four times higher than the amount of oxygen atoms which saturate the Pd surface sites. This observation can be explained with oxygen diffusion either into the nanoparticles or into the support. The interaction between oxygen and CO has been studied on Pd(111) and Pd nanoparticles of different sizes as a function of the coverage. Due to CO-O interaction, the CO adsorption energy is reduced by ~40 kJ/mol on oxygen precovered Pd(111) and Pd nanoparticles of 2.9 nm and 3.4 nm.

<p>A systematic study of trends in band gap and lattice energies for bare zinc oxide nanoparticles were performed by means of quantum chemical density functional theory (DFT) calculations and density of states (DOS) calculations. The geometry of the optimized structures and the appearance of their frontier orbitals were also studied. The particles studied varied in sizes from (ZnO)₆ up to (ZnO)₁₉₂.The functionalization of bare and hydroxylated ZnO surfaces with MPTMS was studied with emphasis on the adsorption energies for adsorption to different surfaces and the effects on the band gap for such adsorptions.</p>

The aim of this thesis is first and foremost to improve the fundamental knowledge of nonlinear and preparative separation theory by focusing on some of the remaining “white spots” on the theoretical chromatographic map. Secondly, the acquired knowledge is used to develop, validate and execute new methods for phase characterization in liquid chromatography. The methodology used in this thesis is a combination of experiments, fundamental nonlinear theory and systematic computer simulations. A fundamental knowledge of the molecular interactions between the compounds to be separated and the separation media requires the determination of adsorption isotherms over a broad concentration range to give a complete picture of all interactions in the separation system - weak as well as strong. In addition, such adsorption data is essential for optimization in preparative chromatography. For the first time, it has been experimentally shown that the injected molecules are not present in the detected peak when a small excess of molecules are injected into a chromatographic system equilibrated with a constant stream of identical molecules. Several experimental procedures for this method were developed such as (i) the optimal injection strategy and (ii) different labeling methods for visualizing the injected molecules. Remarkable phenomena in the single-component case, such as invisible peak deformation and deformed (invisible) frontal chromatograms, are reported, investigated, and explained. This phenomenon has asides from its future practical implementation, also a large didactic value. The accuracy of the ECP method is experimentally improved, and used to characterize the separation of protolytic compounds at different pH on modern commercially available silica and hybrid silica column packing materials. That investigation enables us to answer why basic compounds give a much more compact preparative peak profile at pH 11 than they yields at lower pH.

A systematic study of trends in band gap and lattice energies for bare zinc oxide nanoparticles were performed by means of quantum chemical density functional theory (DFT) calculations and density of states (DOS) calculations. The geometry of the optimized structures and the appearance of their frontier orbitals were also studied. The particles studied varied in sizes from (ZnO)6 up to (ZnO)192.The functionalization of bare and hydroxylated ZnO surfaces with MPTMS was studied with emphasis on the adsorption energies for adsorption to different surfaces and the effects on the band gap for such adsorptions.

The (001) surface of silicon has been the topic of our study in this thesis. The clean surface, an-adatom or submonolayer adsorption on the surface, the monolayer adsorption and its stability conditions as well as growth simulation on the surface were investigated using the state of the art techniques. We have used ab initio density functional calculations based on norm-conserving pseudopotentials to investigate the Mg adsorption on the Si(001) surface for 1/4, 1/2 and 1 monolayer (ML) coverages. For both 1/4 and 1/2 ML coverages it has been found that the most favorable site for the Mg adsorption is the cave site between two dimer rows consistent with recent experiments. For the 1 ML coverage (2 Mg atoms per 2X1 unit cell) we have found that the most preferable configuration is when both Mg atoms on 2X1 reconstruction occupy the two shallow sites. We have found that the minimum energy configurations for 1/4 ML coverage is a 2X2 reconstruction while for the 1/2 and 1 ML coverages they are 2X1. Same method was also used to investigate the surface stress and energetics of the clean-, Sb-adsorbed-, and Sb-interdiffused-Si(001) surface. It is found that interdiffusion of Sb into deeper layers of Si(001) leads to a more isotropic surface stress but corresponds to a higher total energy configuration. As a result of competition between stress relief and energy gain, the surface with all the Sb atoms adsorbed on top of Si(001) surface layer is predicted to have a less ordered geometry and roughness in z-direction. We have repeated the similar calculations on the Ge(001) surface for comparison. Finally using empirical molecular dynamics method, we have investigated the crystalline growth of silicon on Si(001) as a function of substrate temperature and incident particle energy. Our results show that the increase of substrate temperature enhances the crystallinity in the film grown on the Si(001) surface, on the other hand, the crystalline growth can be enhanced at low temperature by using higher incidence energy.