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Using density-functional theory we assess the stability of bulk and surface oxides of the late 4d transition metals in a ``constrained equilibrium'' with a gas phase formed of O2 and CO. While the stability range of the most stable bulk…
A large electric field is typically present in anodic or passive oxide films. Stresses induced by such a large electric field are critical in understanding the breakdown mechanism of thin oxide films and improving their corrosion…
Freestanding oxide films offer significant potential for integrating exotic quantum functionalities with semiconductor technologies. However, their performance is critically limited by surface roughness and interfacial imperfection caused…
The instability, dynamics and morphological transitions of patterns in thin liquid films on periodic striped surfaces (consisting of alternating less and more wettable stripes) are investigated based on 3-D nonlinear simulations that…
Surface strain often controls properties of the material including charge transport and chemical reactivity. Localized surface strain is measured with atomic resolution on (111) ceria nanoparticle surfaces using environmental transmission…
Crystallization from an amorphous atomic structure is usually seen as a spontaneous process in pursuit of a lower energy state, but for alloy systems it is often hard to elucidate because of the intrinsic structural and compositional…
Atomic-scale investigations of metal oxide surfaces exposed to aqueous environments are vital to understand degradation phenomena (e.g. dissolution and corrosion) as well as the performance of these materials in applications. Here, we…
Nanocrystalline materials are well known for their beneficial mechanical and physical properties. However, it is of utmost importance to stabilize the microstructure at elevated temperatures to broaden the window of application e.g. by…
Amorphous boron nitride (\textrm{$\alpha$}-BN) is a promising ultrathin barrier for nanoelectronics, yet the atomistic mechanisms governing its chemical stability remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the structure-property…
We employ scanning probe microscopy to reveal atomic structures and nanoscale morphology of graphene-based electronic devices (i.e. a graphene sheet supported by an insulating silicon dioxide substrate) for the first time. Atomic resolution…
We have used density functional theory to study the structural stability of surface alloys. Our systems consist of a single pseudomorphic layer of $M_xN_{1-x}$ on the Ru(0001) surface, where $M$ = Fe or Co, and $N$ = Pt, Au, Ag, Cd, or Pb.…
The formation of ultrathin oxide layers on metal surfaces is a non-thermally-activated process which takes place spontaneously at very low temperatures within nanoseconds. This paper reports mechanistic details of the initial oxidation of…
Uncovering microstructure evolution mechanisms that accompany the long-term operation of solid oxide fuel cells is a fundamental challenge in designing a more durable energy system for the future. To date, the study of fuel cell stack…
Surface chemistry is important across diverse fields such as corrosion and nanostructure synthesis. Unfortunately, many as-synthesized nanomaterials, including partially dealloyed nanoparticle catalysts for fuel cells, with highly active…
By simulating the dissociation of O2 molecules on the Be(0001) surface using the first-principles molecular dynamics approach, we propose a new atomistic model for the surface oxidation of sp metals. In our model, only the dissociation of…
Pitting corrosion is a much-studied and technologically relevant subject. However, the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the breakdown of the passivating oxide layer are still subjects of debate. Chloride anions are known to accelerate…
Using density-functional theory in combination with a thermodynamic formalism we calculate the relative stability of various structural models of the polar O-terminated (000-1)-O surface of ZnO. Model surfaces with different concentrations…
Surface diffusion on metal oxides is key in many areas of materials technology, yet it has been scarcely explored at the atomic scale. This work provides phenomenological insights from scanning tunneling microscopy on the link between…
The structural relaxation of amorphous materials is described as arising from the superposition of elementary processes with varying activation energies. We show that it is possible to obtain the kinetic parameters of these processes from…
First-row transition metal oxides and chalcogenides have been found to rival the performance of precious metal-based catalysts for the interconversion of water and O$_2$. The high lability of the first-row transition metal ions leads to…