Embarking on a New Journey.

Everyone on board! It's all about science and the great people behind it at ChemPhysChem. In this Editorial, we look back at 2022, which has brought many changes and achievements to the journal, and delve into what is in store for 2023. We also introduce ChemPhysChem's first Early Career Advisory Board and welcome new faces to the Editorial Advisory Board. We are happy and honored to have the support of so many outstanding scientists from around the world working in all areas of physical chemistry and chemical physics.

Always There Where the Science Is.

Physical chemistry is everywhere! Over the past two decades, ChemPhysChem has accompanied many of the major developments in physical chemistry and chemical physics, filing its pages with exciting new science. In this Editorial, we look at some of the highlights during this time, focusing on our activities and achievements in 2021, and peek at what we have in stock for the next year.

New Sensation.

New Sensation: ChemPhysChem has been going strong for just over 20 years now. On April 1 2020, we took on a modern new look, abandoning the blue framed cover that was an integral part of ChemPhysChem's identity, together with our whole Chemistry Europe journal family.

Carbon Dioxide Adsorption on CeO2 (110): An XPS and NEXAFS Study.

The adsorption of CO2 on the surface of a CeO2 (110) bulk single crystal was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The high-quality XPS and C K-edge NEXAFS data show that CO2 adsorbs as a carbonate species on both fully oxidized CeO2 (110) and partially reduced CeO2-x (110). No evidence for the formation of a carboxylate (CO2δ- ) intermediate could be found. On the fully oxidized CeO2 (110) substrate, the carbonate decomposes upon heating to above 400 K, leading to the desorption of CO2 . The NEXAFS data reveal the presence of a minor amount of formate (or carboxylate) and bicarbonate species, which are related to reactions of CO2 with surface hydroxyl groups. In the case of reduced CeO2-x (110), the carbonate species completely disappear upon heating to temperatures above 500 K. In contrast to conclusions presented in earlier works, the oxidation state of the surface is unchanged, that is, CO2 does not re-oxidize the reduced CeO2-x (110) surface.

cis-to-trans isomerization of azobenzene investigated by using thin films of metal-organic frameworks.

The activation barrier for cis-to-trans isomerization is a key parameter for governing the properties of photoswitchable molecules. This quantity can be computed by using theoretical methods, but experimental determination is not straightforward. Photoswitchable molecules typically do not change their conformation in the pure crystalline state. When the molecules are in solution, the switching is affected by the viscosity and polarity of the solvent and when embedded in polymers, the conformational change is affected by the polymer matrix. Here, we describe a novel approach where the photoswitchable group is integrated in a highly crystalline, porous molecular framework. Sufficiently large pore sizes in such metal-organic frameworks, MOFs, allow unhindered switching and the strictly periodic structure of the lattice eliminates virtually all contributions from inhomogeneities. Using IR spectroscopy to probe the conformational state of azobenzene, the energy barrier separating the cis and the trans state could be determined by an Arrhenius analysis of the data accumulated in a temperature regime between 314 K and 385 K. The result, 1.09 ± 0.09 eV, is in very good agreement with the activation energy reported for the thermal cis-to-trans isomerization of free azobenzene as computed by DFT calculations.

Carbon dioxide adsorption on a ZnO(101[combining macron]0) substrate studied by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy.

The adsorption of carbon dioxide on the mixed-terminated ZnO(101[combining macron]0) surface of a bulk single crystal was studied by UHV Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS). In contrast to metals, the classic surface selection rule for IRRAS does not apply to bulk oxide crystals, and hence vibrational bands can also be observed for s-polarized light. Although this fact substantially complicates data interpretation, a careful analysis allows for a direct determination of the adsorbate geometry. Here, we demonstrate the huge potential of IR-spectroscopy for investigations on oxide single crystal surfaces by considering all three components of the incident polarized light separately. We find that the tridentate (surface) carbonate is aligned along the [0001] direction. A comparison to data reported previously for CO2 adsorbed on the surfaces of ZnO nanoparticles provides important insight into the role of defects in the surface chemistry of powder particles.

Chemical activity of oxygen vacancies on ceria: a combined experimental and theoretical study on CeO2(111).

The chemical activity of oxygen vacancies on well-defined, single-crystal CeO2(111)-surfaces is investigated using CO as a probe molecule. Since no previous measurements are available, the assignment of the CO ν1 stretch frequency as determined by IR-spectroscopy for the stoichiometric and defective surfaces are aided by ab initio electronic structure calculations using density functional theory (DFT).

A surface coordination network based on copper adatom trimers.

Surface coordination networks formed by co-adsorption of metal atoms and organic ligands have interesting properties, for example regarding catalysis and data storage. Surface coordination networks studied to date have typically been based on single metal atom centers. The formation of a novel surface coordination network is now demonstrated that is based on network nodes in the form of clusters consisting of three Cu adatoms. The network forms by deposition of tetrahydroxybenzene (THB) on Cu(111) under UHV conditions. As shown from a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations, all four hydroxy groups of THB dehydrogenate upon thermal activation at 440 K. This highly reactive ligand binds to Cu adatom trimers, which are resolved by high-resolution STM. The network creates an ordered array of mono-dispersed metal clusters constituting a two-dimensional analogue of metal-organic frameworks.

On-surface azide-alkyne cycloaddition on Cu(111): does it "click" in ultrahigh vacuum?

Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we demonstrate that the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between a terminal alkyne and an azide can be performed under solvent-free ultrahigh vacuum conditions with reactants adsorbed on a Cu(111) surface. XPS shows significant degradation of the azide upon adsorption, which is found to be the limiting factor for the reaction.

Toward well-defined metal-polymer interfaces: temperature-controlled suppression of subsurface diffusion and reaction at the calcium/poly(3-hexylthiophene) interface.

The thickness of the reaction zone at the interface between calcium and regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene), which is one of the best performing metal/polymer combinations in photovoltaic devices, depends critically on the temperature of the polymer during the initial phase of metal deposition. It is shown that deposition at 130 K reduces the thickness of the reaction zone, an effect that also persists after warming to room temperature.

Interface formation between calcium and electron-irradiated poly(3-hexylthiophene).

The adsorption of Ca on electron-irradiated poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) surfaces at 300 K (E(kin) = 100 eV) has been studied by adsorption microcalorimetry, atomic beam/surface scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and low-energy He(+) ion scattering spectroscopy (LEIS). The results are compared to previous studies of Ca adsorption on pristine P3HT. The major structural effect of electron irradiation is a substantial increase in the fraction of unsaturated carbon atoms, probably a result of electron-induced hydrogen abstraction from the hexyl chains and formation of new C=C double bonds. No loss of sulfur was observed. The combined XPS, LEIS, and calorimetry data indicate that the reaction and growth behavior of Ca on P3HT surfaces is not significantly affected by this electron damage, apart from an increased sticking probability at low coverages. The sticking probability of Ca on the irradiated P3HT is initially 0.63, compared to 0.36 on the pristine surface. It increases with coverage, approaching unity between 4 and 5 ML. The heat of adsorption stays nearly constant at 405 kJ/mol up to a coverage of 0.6 ML, which is ascribed to Ca diffusing below the surface and forming CaS clusters by abstraction of sulfur from the thiophene rings, based on XPS and LEIS data. The heat of adsorption then decreases gradually until it reaches the heat of sublimation of bulk Ca, 178 kJ/mol, by 4 ML; this is attributed to the formation of 3D Ca islands on top of the polymer, which eventually coalesce into a continuous Ca film by 11 ML. The heat of reaction versus coverage and the ultimate depth up to which the Ca atoms react with the polymer thiophene groups (approximately 3 nm) are nearly independent of electron damage, except for a difference in the heat of adsorption below 0.1 ML associated with defects or impurities. The increase in initial sticking probability caused by electron damage is attributed to stronger bonding of Ca adatoms to unsaturated versus saturated hydrocarbons. These very weakly held Ca adatoms are transient precursors to the two reactions which dominate the measured heat of adsorption (reaction with thiophene units and Ca cluster formation), but they can also desorb in this three-path kinetic competition. Mass spectrometer data show that these precursors have longer surface residence times on the electron-damaged surface.

Formation of the calcium/poly(3-hexylthiophene) interface: structure and energetics.

The adsorption of Ca on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) has been studied by adsorption microcalorimetry, atomic beam/surface scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low-energy He(+) ion scattering spectroscopy (LEIS), and first-principles calculations. The sticking probability of Ca on P3HT is initially 0.35 and increases to almost unity by 5 ML. A very high initial heat of adsorption in the first 0.02 ML (625-500 kJ/mol) is attributed to the reaction of Ca with defect sites or residual contamination. Between 0.1 and 0.5 ML, there is a high and nearly constant heat of adsorption of 405 kJ/mol, which we ascribe to Ca reacting with subsurface sulfur atoms from the thiophene rings of the polymer. This is supported by the absence of LEIS signal for Ca and the shift of the S 2p XPS binding energy by -2.8 eV for reacted S atoms. The heat of adsorption decreases above 0.6 ML coverage, reaching the sublimation enthalpy of Ca, 178 kJ/mol, by 4 ML. This is attributed to the formation of Ca nanoparticles and eventually a continuous solid Ca film, on top of the polymer. LEIS and XPS measurements, which show only a slow increase of the signals related to solid Ca, support this model. Incoming Ca atoms are subject to a kinetic competition between diffusing into the polymer to react with subsurface thiophene units versus forming or adding to three-dimensional Ca clusters on the surface. At approximately 1.6 ML Ca coverage, Ca atoms have similar probabilities for either process, with the former dominating at lower coverage. Ultimately about 1.6 ML of Ca (1.2 x 10(15) atoms/cm(2)) reacts with S atoms, corresponding to a reacted depth of approximately 3 nm, or nearly five monomer-unit layers. Density-functional theory calculations confirm that the heat of reaction and the shift of the S 2p signal are consistent with Ca abstracting S from the thiophene rings to form small CaS clusters.

Steering Surface Reaction at Specific Sites with Self-Assembly Strategy.

To discern the catalytic activity of different active sites, a self-assembly strategy is applied to confine the involved species that are "attached" to specific surface sites. The employed probe reaction system is the Ullmann coupling of 4-bromobiphenyl, C6H5C6H4Br, on an atomically flat Ag(111) surface, which is explored by combined scanning tunneling microscopy, synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. The catalytic cycle involves the detachment of the Br atom from the initial reactant to form an organometallic intermediate, C6H5C6H4AgC6H4C6H5, which subsequently self-assembles with its central Ag atom residing either on 2-fold bridge or 3-fold hollow sites at full coverage. The hollow site turns out to be catalytically more active than the bridge one, allowing us to achieve site-steered reaction control from the intermediate to the final coupling product, p-quaterphenyl, at 390 and 410 K, respectively.

Adsorbate-induced lifting of substrate relaxation is a general mechanism governing titania surface chemistry.

Under ambient conditions, almost all metals are coated by an oxide. These coatings, the result of a chemical reaction, are not passive. Many of them bind, activate and modify adsorbed molecules, processes that are exploited, for example, in heterogeneous catalysis and photochemistry. Here we report an effect of general importance that governs the bonding, structure formation and dissociation of molecules on oxidic substrates. For a specific example, methanol adsorbed on the rutile TiO2(110) single crystal surface, we demonstrate by using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques that strongly bonding adsorbates can lift surface relaxations beyond their adsorption site, which leads to a significant substrate-mediated interaction between adsorbates. The result is a complex superstructure consisting of pairs of methanol molecules and unoccupied adsorption sites. Infrared spectroscopy reveals that the paired methanol molecules remain intact and do not deprotonate on the defect-free terraces of the rutile TiO2(110) surface.

Evidence for photogenerated intermediate hole polarons in ZnO.

Despite their pronounced importance for oxide-based photochemistry, optoelectronics and photovoltaics, only fairly little is known about the polaron lifetimes and binding energies. Polarons represent a crucial intermediate step populated immediately after dissociation of the excitons formed in the primary photoabsorption process. Here we present a novel approach to studying photoexcited polarons in an important photoactive oxide, ZnO, using infrared (IR) reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) with a time resolution of 100 ms. For well-defined (10-10) oriented ZnO single-crystal substrates, we observe intense IR absorption bands at around 200 meV exhibiting a pronounced temperature dependence. On the basis of first-principles-based electronic structure calculations, we assign these features to hole polarons of intermediate coupling strength.

Adsorption and dehydrogenation of tetrahydroxybenzene on Cu(111).

Adsorption of tetrahydroxybenzene (THB) on Cu(111) and Au(111) surfaces is studied using a combination of STM, XPS, and DFT. THB is deposited intact, but on Cu(111) it undergoes gradual dehydrogenation of the hydroxyl groups as a function of substrate temperature, yielding a pure dihydroxy-benzoquinone phase at 370 K. Subtle changes to the adsorption structure upon dehydrogenation are explained from differences in molecule-surface bonding.