Alexander A. Guda

Optimized Finite Difference Method for the Full-Potential XANES Simulations: Application to Molecular Adsorption Geometries in MOFs and Metal–Ligand Intersystem Crossing Transients

Accurate modeling of the X-ray absorption near-edge spectra (XANES) is required to unravel the local structure of metal sites in complex systems and their structural changes upon chemical or light stimuli. Two relevant examples are reported here concerning the following: (i) the effect of molecular adsorption on 3d metals hosted inside metal-organic frameworks and (ii) light induced dynamics of spin crossover in metal-organic complexes. In both cases, the amount of structural models for simulation can reach a hundred, depending on the number of structural parameters. Thus, the choice of an accurate but computationally demanding finite difference method for the ab initio X-ray absorption simulations severely restricts the range of molecular systems that can be analyzed by personal computers. Employing the FDMNES code [Phys. Rev. B, 2001, 63, 125120] we show that this problem can be handled if a proper diagonalization scheme is applied. Due to the use of dedicated solvers for sparse matrices, the calculation time was reduced by more than 1 order of magnitude compared to the standard Gaussian method, while the amount of required RAM was halved. Ni K-edge XANES simulations performed by the accelerated version of the code allowed analyzing the coordination geometry of CO and NO on the Ni active sites in CPO-27-Ni MOF. The Ni-CO configuration was found to be linear, while Ni-NO was bent by almost 90°. Modeling of the Fe K-edge XANES of photoexcited aqueous [Fe(bpy)3](2+) with a 100 ps delay we identified the Fe-N distance elongation and bipyridine rotation upon transition from the initial low-spin to the final high-spin state. Subsequently, the X-ray absorption spectrum for the intermediate triplet state with expected 100 fs lifetime was theoretically predicted.

Tracking the Structural and Electronic Configurations of a Cobalt Proton Reduction Catalyst in Water

X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy (X-TAS) has been used to study the light-induced hydrogen evolution reaction catalyzed by a tetradentate macrocyclic cobalt complex with the formula [LCo(III)Cl2](+) (L = macrocyclic ligand), [Ru(bpy)3](2+) photosensitizer, and an equimolar mixture of sodium ascorbate/ascorbic acid electron donor in pure water. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of a binary mixture of the octahedral Co(III) precatalyst and [Ru(bpy)3](2+) after illumination revealed in situ formation of a Co(II) intermediate with significantly distorted geometry and electron-transfer kinetics of 51 ns. On the other hand, X-TAS experiments of the complete photocatalytic system in the presence of the electron donor showed the formation of a square planar Co(I) intermediate species within a few nanoseconds, followed by its decay in the microsecond time scale. The Co(I) structural assignment is supported by calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). At longer reaction times, we observe the formation of the initial Co(III) species concomitant to the decay of Co(I), thus closing the catalytic cycle. The experimental X-ray absorption spectra of the molecular species formed along the catalytic cycle are modeled using a combination of molecular orbital DFT calculations (DFT-MO) and finite difference method (FDM). These findings allowed us to assign the full mechanistic pathway, followed by the catalyst as well as to determine the rate-limiting step of the process, which consists in the protonation of the Co(I) species. This study provides a complete kinetics scheme for the hydrogen evolution reaction by a cobalt catalyst, revealing unique information for the development of better catalysts for the reductive side of hydrogen fuel cells.

Microsecond X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Identification of Co(I) Intermediates in Cobaloxime-Catalyzed Hydrogen Evolution

Rational development of efficient photocatalytic systems for hydrogen production requires understanding the catalytic mechanism and detailed information about the structure of intermediates in the catalytic cycle. We demonstrate how time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy in the microsecond time range can be used to identify such intermediates and to determine their local geometric structure. This method was used to obtain the solution structure of the Co(I) intermediate of cobaloxime, which is a non-noble metal catalyst for solar hydrogen production from water. Distances between cobalt and the nearest ligands including two solvent molecules and displacement of the cobalt atom out of plane formed by the planar ligands have been determined. Combining in situ X-ray absorption and UV/Vis data, we demonstrate how slight modification of the catalyst structure can lead to the formation of a catalytically inactive Co(I) state under similar conditions. Possible deactivation mechanisms are discussed.

Improved Voltage and Cycling for Li+ Intercalation in High-Capacity Disordered Oxyfluoride Cathodes

New high‐capacity intercalation cathodes of Li2VxCr1−xO2F with a stable disordered rock salt host framework allow a high operating voltage up to 3.5 V, good rate performance (960 Wh kg−1 at ≈1 C), and cycling stability.

Finite difference method accelerated with sparse solvers for structural analysis of the metal-organic complexes

Finite difference method (FDM) implemented in the FDMNES software [Phys. Rev. B, 2001, 63, 125120] was revised. Thorough analysis shows, that the calculated diagonal in the FDM matrix consists of about 96% zero elements. Thus a sparse solver would be more suitable for the problem instead of traditional Gaussian elimination for the diagonal neighbourhood. We have tried several iterative sparse solvers and the direct one MUMPS solver with METIS ordering turned out to be the best. Compared to the Gaussian solver present method is up to 40 times faster and allows XANES simulations for complex systems already on personal computers. We show applicability of the software for metal-organic [Fe(bpy)3]2+ complex both for low spin and high spin states populated after laser excitation.

X-ray spectral diagnostics of synthetic lanthanide silicates

Potassium and rare-earth (Eu, Sm, Yb, Ce) silicate and aluminosilicate crystals are hydrothermally synthesized under isothermal conditions at 500°C and a pressure of 100 MPa. The chemical and structural formulas of the synthesized compounds HK6Eu[Si10O25], K7Sm3[Si12O32], K2Sm[AlSi4O12] · 0.375H2O, K4Yb2[Si8O21], and K4Ce2[Al2Si8O24] are determined. In addition, a synthesis product with Eu, in which the dominant phase is assumed to be K3Eu3+[Si6O15] · 2H2O, is studied. The oxidation state of lanthanides in the silicates under study is determined based on X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. The Eu L3-, Sm L3-, Yb L3-, and Ce L3-edge X-ray absorption spectra of the studied silicates and reference samples are recorded using a Rigaku R-XAS laboratory spectrometer. As reference samples, Eu2+S, Eu3+F3, Eu23+O3, Sm23+O3, Yb23+O3, Yb3+F3, Yb3+Cl3, Ce23+O3, and Ce4+O2 are used. Comparison of the absorption edge energies of lanthanide silicates and reference samples shows that Eu, Sm, Yb, and Cе in all the samples studied are in the oxidation state 3+. The synthesized silicates will supplement our knowledge of possible rare-earth minerals existing in hydrothermal systems, which is important for analyzing the distribution spectra of rare elements, which are widely used for diagnostics of geochemical processes and determination of sources of ore materials.

Spin-polarized electronic structure of the core–shell ZnO/ZnO:Mn nanowires probed by X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy

The combination of X-ray spectroscopy methods complemented with theoretical analysis unravels the coexistence of paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases in the Zn0.9Mn0.1O shell deposited onto array of wurtzite ZnO nanowires. The shell is crystalline with orientation toward the ZnO growth axis, as demonstrated by X-ray linear dichroism. EXAFS analysis confirmed that more than 90% of Mn atoms substituted Zn in the shell while a fraction of secondary phases was below 10%. The value of manganese spin magnetic moment was estimated from the Mn Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy to be 4.3 μB which is close to the theoretical value for substitutional MnZn. However the analysis of L2,3 X-ray magnetic circular dichroism data showed paramagnetic behaviour with saturated spin magnetic moment value of 1.95 μB as determined directly from the spin sum rule. After quantitative analysis employing atomic multiplet simulations such difference was explained by a coexistence of paramagnetic phase and local antiferromagnetic coupling of Mn magnetic moments. Finally, spin-polarized electron density of states was probed by the spin-resolved Mn K-edge XANES spectroscopy and consequently analyzed by band structure calculations.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy determination of the products of manganese borohydride decomposition upon heating

Manganese borohydride Mn(BH4)2 powder is heated in a hydrogen atmosphere in vacuum. The long-range order in the structure is monitored in situ by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction; short-range order, via Mg K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Above 120°C, the X-ray diffraction pattern disappears and an irreversible phase transition occurs, accompanied by sample amorphization and profuse hydrogen desorption. In the hydrogen atmosphere, the phase transition occurs at a temperature of ∼110°C. The standard scheme of borohydride decomposition suggests hydrogen desorption and the formation of metallic manganese and boron. However, a theoretical analysis of X-ray absorption spectra shows that the most likely products of Mn(BH4)2 decomposition are manganese borides.

Pd hydride and carbide studied by means of Pd K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis

A Pd K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis for palladium hydride and carbide nanoparticles is presented. It is shown that the presence of H and C atoms changes the Pd unoccupied p-electronic states, affecting the near-edge fine structure. Quantitative XANES analysis is performed using a multidimensional interpolation approach. Theoretical models of PdH and PdC clusters are developed using Monte Carlo methods. The proposed technique allow us to determine hydrogen concentrations in palladium nanoparticles and correctly reproduce all experimental features of XANES spectra for palladium hydride and carbide nanoparticles.

A XAFS study of the local environment and reactivity of Pt- sites in functionalized UiO-67 MOFs

We synthesized UiO-67 Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) functionalized with bpydcPt(II)Cl2 and bpydcPt(IV)Cl4 complexes (bpydc = bipyridine-dicarboxylate), as attractive candidates for the heterogenization of homogeneous catalytic reactions. Pt L3-edge XAFS experiments allowed us to thoroughly characterize these materials, in the local environment of the Pt centers. XAFS studies evidenced the rich reactivity of UiO-67-Pt(II) MOFs, including reduction to bpydcPt(0) under H2 flow in the 600-700 K range, room-temperature oxidation to bpydcPt(IV)Br4 through oxidative addition of liquid Br2 and ligand exchange between 2 Cl- and even bulky ligands such as toluene-3,4-dithiol. Preliminary XANES simulations with ADF code provide additional information on the oxidation state of Pt sites.