Related papers: Re-visiting the O/Cu(111) system -- When metastabl…
As titanium is a highly utilized metal for structural light-weighting, its phases, transformation pathways (transition states), and structures have scientific and industrial importance. Impurities, pressure, and temperature control the…
The $\alpha$ polymorph of V$_2$O$_5$ is one of the few known cathodes capable of reversibly intercalating multivalent ions such as Mg, Ca, Zn and Al, but suffers from sluggish diffusion kinetics. The role of H$_2$O within the electrolyte…
We present lattice-gas modeling of the steady-state behavior in CO oxidation on the facets of nanoscale metal clusters, with coupling via inter-facet CO diffusion. The model incorporates the key aspects of reaction process, such as rapid CO…
Single-atom catalysts have attracted significant attention due to their exceptional atomic utilization and high efficiency in a range of catalytic reactions. However, these systems often face thermodynamic instability, leading to…
MSr2Y1.5Ce0.5Cu2Oz (M-1222) compounds, with M = Fe and Co, have been synthesized through a solid-state reaction route. Both compounds crystallize in a tetragonal structure (space group I4/mmm). A Rietveld structural refinement of…
Photocatalytic and photovoltaic activity depends on the optimal alignment of electronic levels at the molecule/semiconductor interface. Establishing level alignment experimentally is complicated by the uncertain chemical identity of the…
Methanol occupies a central role in chemical synthesis and is considered an ideal candidate for cleaner fuel storage and transportation. It can be catalyzed from water and volatile organic compounds such as carbon dioxide, thereby offering…
First principles density functional calculations are used to study the early oxidation stages of the Mg(0001) surface for oxygen coverages 1/16 <= Theta <= 3 monolayers. It is found that at very low coverages O is incorporated below the…
A structural phase transformation in the CuO_2 planes of YBa_2Cu_3O_x has been observed at the onset of the overdoped regime, x=6.95. We have measured as a function of x the dimpling in the CuO_2 planes by EXAFS, and the O2,3 in-phase…
Short-range lattice superstructures have been studied with high-energy x-ray diffuse scattering in underdoped, optimally doped, and overdoped $\rm (Y,Ca)Ba_2 Cu_3 O_{6+x}$. A new four-unit-cell superstructure was observed in compounds with…
The oxidation kinetics of hematite {\alpha}-Fe$_2$O$_3$(0001) surfaces are vital for its applications in catalysis, environmental remediation, and industrial processes. Despite prior studies, the roles of temperature, oxygen partial…
Weak hydrogen bonds, such as O-H$\cdots\pi$ and C-H$\cdots$O, are pivotal in a wide range of important natural and industrial processes including biochemical assembly, molecular recognition, and chemical selectivity. In this study we use…
The dynamic reconstruction of surfaces during electrochemical reactions plays a crucial role in determining the performance of electrocatalysts. However, because reconstructions occur at the atomic level, direct observation and elucidation…
Using the catalytic CO oxidation at RuO2(110) as a showcase, we employ first-principles kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to illustrate the intricate effects on temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy data brought about by the mere…
The hydrophobicity of CeO2 surfaces is examined here. Since wettability measurements are extremely sensitive to experimental conditions, we propose a general approach to obtain contact angles between water and ceria surfaces of specified…
The preferential formation of one solid over the other, as it precipitates out from the melt at specific temperatures, is often explained by invoking a competition between thermodynamic and kinetic control. A quantitative theory, however,…
Employing ab initio calculations, we discuss chemical, mechanical, and dynamical stability of MoN-TaN solid solutions together with cubic-like MoN/TaN superlattices, as another materials design concept. Hexagonal-type structures based on…
MoS2 is one of the important members of transition metal dichalogenides which is emerging as a potential 2D atomically thin layered material for low power electronic and opto-electronic applications. However, for MoS2 a critical fundamental…
A recent report [Kiguchi {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. B {\bf 68}, 115402 (2003)] that the (111) surface of 5 MgO layers grown epitaxially on Ag(111) becomes metallic to reduce the electric dipole moment raises a question of what will happen…
Water exhibits rich polymorphism, where more than 20 crystalline phases have been experimentally reported. Five of them are metastable and form at low temperatures by either heating amorphous ice or degassing clathrate hydrates. However,…