Advanced Materials for Energy-Water Systems: The Central Role of Water/Solid Interfaces in Adsorption, Reactivity, and Transport.

The structure, chemistry, and charge of interfaces between materials and aqueous fluids play a central role in determining properties and performance of numerous water systems. Sensors, membranes, sorbents, and heterogeneous catalysts almost uniformly rely on specific interactions between their surfaces and components dissolved or suspended in the water-and often the water molecules themselves-to detect and mitigate contaminants. Deleterious processes in these systems such as fouling, scaling (inorganic deposits), and corrosion are also governed by interfacial phenomena. Despite the importance of these interfaces, much remains to be learned about their multiscale interactions. Developing a deeper understanding of the molecular- and mesoscale phenomena at water/solid interfaces will be essential to driving innovation to address grand challenges in supplying sufficient fit-for-purpose water in the future. In this Review, we examine the current state of knowledge surrounding adsorption, reactivity, and transport in several key classes of water/solid interfaces, drawing on a synergistic combination of theory, simulation, and experiments, and provide an outlook for prioritizing strategic research directions.

Atomic-Scale Structure of Chemically Distinct Surface Oxygens in Redox Reactions.

During redox reactions, oxide-supported catalytic systems undergo structural and chemical changes. Improving subsequent catalytic properties requires an understanding of the atomic-scale structure with chemical state specificity under reaction conditions. For the case of 1/2 monolayer vanadia on α-TiO2(110), we use X-ray standing wave (XSW) excited X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to follow the redox induced atomic positional and chemical state changes of this interface. While the resulting XSW 3D composite atomic maps include the Ti and O substrate atoms and V surface atoms, our focus in this report is on the previously unseen surface oxygen species with comparison to density functional theory predictions.

Surface Zeta Potential of ALD-Grown Metal-Oxide Films.

Membranes are among the most promising technologies for energy-efficient and highly selective separations, and the surface-charge property of membranes plays a critical role in their broad applications. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) can deposit materials uniformly and with high precision and controllability on arbitrarily complex and large substrates, which renders it a promising method to tune the electrostatics of water/solid interfaces. However, a systematic study of surface-charge properties of ALD-grown films in aqueous environments is still lacking. In this work, 17 ALD-grown metal-oxide films are synthesized, and a comprehensive study of their water stability, wetting properties, and surface-charge properties is provided. This work represents a resource guide for researchers and ultimately for materials and process engineers, seeking to tailor interfacial charge properties of membranes and other porous water treatment components.

Synergetic effect on catalytic activity and charge transfer in Pt-Pd bimetallic model catalysts prepared by atomic layer deposition.

Pt-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles were synthesized on TiO2 support on the planar substrate as well as on high surface area SiO2 gel by atomic layer deposition to identify the catalytic performance improvement after the formation of Pt-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles by surface analysis techniques. From X-ray absorption near edge spectra of Pt-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles, d-orbital hybridization between Pt 5d and Pd 4d was observed, which is responsible for charge transfer from Pt to Pd. Moreover, it was found from the in situ grazing incidence X-ray absorption spectroscopy study that Pt-Pd nanoparticles have a Pd shell/Pt core structure with CO adsorption. Resonant photoemission spectroscopy on Pt-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles showed that Pd resonant intensity is enhanced compared to that of Pd monometallic nanoparticles because of d-orbital hybridization and electronic states broadening of Pt and Pd compared monometallic catalysts, which results in catalytic performance improvement.

Enrichment and Distribution of Pb2+ Ions in Zwitterionic Poly(cysteine methacrylate) Brushes at the Solid-Liquid Interface.

Cysteine-based polyzwitterionic brushes have been prepared via a two-step route. First, poly(allyl methacrylate) (PAMA) brushes have been grown from the surface of silicon substrates using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. The obtained PAMA brushes with free pendant vinyl groups were further modified via radical thiol-ene addition reaction to attach l-cysteine moieties. Surface ζ potential investigations on pH-responsiveness of these poly(cysteine methacrylate) (PCysMA) brushes confirm their zwitterionic character at intermediate pH range, while at pH values either below pH 3.50 or above pH 8.59, they exhibit polyelectrolyte character. Under acid (pH < 3.50) or base (pH > 8.59) conditions, they possess either cationic or anionic character, respectively. In the zwitterionic region, these PCysMA brushes show positive surface ζ potential in the presence of Pb(CH3COO)2 solutions of various concentrations. The results are in line with microscopic investigations using anomalous X-ray reflectivity (AXRR) carried out along the absorption edge of Pb2+ ions. When the photon energies were varied around the absorption L3 edge of lead (13037 eV), the Pb2+ concentration normal to the silicon substrates, as a function of depth inside PCysMA brushes, could be revealed at the nanoscale. Both ζ potential and AXRR measurements confirm the enrichment of Pb2+ ions inside PCysMA brushes, indicating the potential of PCysMA to be used as a water purification material.

The chemical physics of sequential infiltration synthesis-A thermodynamic and kinetic perspective.

Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) is an emerging materials growth method by which inorganic metal oxides are nucleated and grown within the free volume of polymers in association with chemical functional groups in the polymer. SIS enables the growth of novel polymer-inorganic hybrid materials, porous inorganic materials, and spatially templated nanoscale devices of relevance to a host of technological applications. Although SIS borrows from the precursors and equipment of atomic layer deposition (ALD), the chemistry and physics of SIS differ in important ways. These differences arise from the permeable three-dimensional distribution of functional groups in polymers in SIS, which contrast to the typically impermeable two-dimensional distribution of active sites on solid surfaces in ALD. In SIS, metal-organic vapor-phase precursors dissolve and diffuse into polymers and interact with these functional groups through reversible complex formation and/or irreversible chemical reactions. In this perspective, we describe the thermodynamics and kinetics of SIS and attempt to disentangle the tightly coupled physical and chemical processes that underlie this method. We discuss the various experimental, computational, and theoretical efforts that provide insight into SIS mechanisms and identify approaches that may fill out current gaps in knowledge and expand the utilization of SIS.

Effect of Nanostructured Domains in Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Films on Sequential Infiltration Synthesis.

There are broad interests in selective and localized synthesis in nanodomains of self-assembled block copolymers (BCPs) for a variety of applications. Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) shows promise to selectively grow a controllable amount of materials in one type of nanodomain of a self-assembled BCP film. However, the effects of nanostructured domains in a BCP film and SIS cycles on the material growth behavior of SIS are rarely studied. In this work, we investigated the growth behavior of TiO2 SIS within self-assembled polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) films and the two corresponding pure homopolymer films (PS and PMMA) by using in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). According to the experimental results, reactant purge steps are essential to enable a high selectivity of SIS in PMMA nanodomains in the BCP films by eliminating the undesired homogeneous reactions. The continuous PS nanodomain acts as the main channel in transporting reactants to PMMA nanodomains in the self-assembled PS-b-PMMA BCP films. The segregated nanoscale PMMA nanodomains in the BCP films show dramatically different TiCl4 diffusion/reaction behavior than a continuous PMMA film. The mass gain per SIS cycle within PMMA nanodomains decreases quickly with increasing cycle number. After 7 TiO2 SIS cycles, TiO2 SIS can only take place at the interface between PS and PMMA nanodomains in the BCP film. The TiO2 SIS process can uniformly modify PMMA nanodomains throughout a self-assembled PS-b-PMMA film up to the diffusion depth owing to the unique nanostructure-enabled diffusion. SIS cycle number and chemistry of a BCP will strongly affect the material growth behavior of a SIS chemistry on the BCP film and, therefore, the final morphology of the resulting nanomaterial. Detailed studies are warranted for a SIS process on a self-assembled BCP film of different chemistry.

Atomic layer deposition of metal sulfide materials.

CONSPECTUS: The field of nanoscience is delivering increasingly intricate yet elegant geometric structures incorporating an ever-expanding palette of materials. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a powerful driver of this field, providing exceptionally conformal coatings spanning the periodic table and atomic-scale precision independent of substrate geometry. This versatility is intrinsic to ALD and results from sequential and self-limiting surface reactions. This characteristic facilitates digital synthesis, in which the film grows linearly with the number of reaction cycles. While the majority of ALD processes identified to date produce metal oxides, novel applications in areas such as energy storage, catalysis, and nanophotonics are motivating interest in sulfide materials. Recent progress in ALD of sulfides has expanded the diversity of accessible materials as well as a more complete understanding of the unique chalcogenide surface chemistry. ALD of sulfide materials typically uses metalorganic precursors and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). As in oxide ALD, the precursor chemistry is critical to controlling both the film growth and properties including roughness, crystallinity, and impurity levels. By modification of the precursor sequence, multicomponent sulfides have been deposited, although challenges remain because of the higher propensity for cation exchange reactions, greater diffusion rates, and unintentional annealing of this more labile class of materials. A deeper understanding of these surface chemical reactions has been achieved through a combination of in situ studies and quantum-chemical calculations. As this understanding matures, so does our ability to deterministically tailor film properties to new applications and more sophisticated devices. This Account highlights the attributes of ALD chemistry that are unique to metal sulfides and surveys recent applications of these materials in photovoltaics, energy storage, and photonics. Within each application space, the benefits and challenges of novel ALD processes are emphasized and common trends are summarized. We conclude with a perspective on potential future directions for metal chalcogenide ALD as well as untapped opportunities. Finally, we consider challenges that must be addressed prior to implementing ALD metal sulfides into future device architectures.

High Thermal Stability of La2O3- and CeO2-Stabilized Tetragonal ZrO2.

Catalyst support materials of tetragonal ZrO2, stabilized by either La2O3 (La2O3-ZrO2) or CeO2 (CeO2-ZrO2), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at 200 °C with NH4OH or tetramethylammonium hydroxide as the mineralizer. From in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, the calcined La2O3-ZrO2 and CeO2-ZrO2 supports were nonporous nanocrystallites that exhibited rectangular shapes with a thermal stability of up to 1000 °C in air. These supports had an average size of ∼ 10 nm and a surface area of 59-97 m(2)/g. The catalysts Pt/La2O3-ZrO2 and Pt/CeO2-ZrO2 were prepared by using atomic layer deposition with varying Pt loadings from 6.3 to 12.4 wt %. Monodispersed Pt nanoparticles of ∼ 3 nm were obtained for these catalysts. The incorporation of La2O3 and CeO2 into the t-ZrO2 structure did not affect the nature of the active sites for the Pt/ZrO2 catalysts for the water-gas shift reaction.

Towards a microchannel-based X-ray detector with two-dimensional spatial and time resolution and high dynamic range.

X-ray detectors that combine two-dimensional spatial resolution with a high time resolution are needed in numerous applications of synchrotron radiation. Most detectors with this combination of capabilities are based on semiconductor technology and are therefore limited in size. Furthermore, the time resolution is often realised through rapid time-gating of the acquisition, followed by a slower readout. Here, a detector technology is realised based on relatively inexpensive microchannel plates that uses GHz waveform sampling for a millimeter-scale spatial resolution and better than 100 ps time resolution. The technology is capable of continuous streaming of time- and location-tagged events at rates greater than 10(7) events per cm(2). Time-gating can be used for improved dynamic range.

Synthesis of palladium nanoparticles on TiO2(110) using a beta-diketonate precursor.

The adsorption of palladium hexafluoracetylacetone (Pd(hfac)2) and nucleation of Pd nanoparticles on TiO2(110) surface were observed using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Surface species of Pd(hfac)* and Ti(hfac)* uniformly adsorbed on TiO2(110) upon exposure of Pd(hfac)2. No preferential nucleation was observed for the surface species. Atomic resolution STM images revealed that both Pd(hfac)* and Ti(hfac)* appeared on the metastable Ti(5c) sites. After annealing at 700 K, sub-nm Pd nanoparticles were observed across the TiO2(110) without preferential nucleation. The adsorption preferences of Pd(hfac), hfac, and atomic Pd on TiO2(110) surface were studied using density functional theory (DFT), and possible decomposition pathways of Pd(hfac)2 leading to the formation of Pd nucleation sites were presented.

Adsorbate-induced structural changes in 1-3 nm platinum nanoparticles.

We investigated changes in the Pt-Pt bond distance, particle size, crystallinity, and coordination of Pt nanoparticles as a function of particle size (1-3 nm) and adsorbate (H2, CO) using synchrotron radiation pair distribution function (PDF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements. The ∼1 nm Pt nanoparticles showed a Pt-Pt bond distance contraction of ∼1.4%. The adsorption of H2 and CO at room temperature relaxed the Pt-Pt bond distance contraction to a value close to that of bulk fcc Pt. The adsorption of H2 improved the crystallinity of the small Pt nanoparticles. However, CO adsorption generated a more disordered fcc structure for the 1-3 nm Pt nanoparticles compared to the H2 adsorption Pt nanoparticles. In situ XANES measurements revealed that this disorder results from the electron back-donation of the Pt nanoparticles to CO, leading to a higher degree of rehybridization of the metal orbitals in the Pt-adsorbate system.

Synthesis and stabilization of supported metal catalysts by atomic layer deposition.

Supported metal nanoparticles are among the most important catalysts for many practical reactions, including petroleum refining, automobile exhaust treatment, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The catalytic performance strongly depends on the size, composition, and structure of the metal nanoparticles, as well as the underlying support. Scientists have used conventional synthesis methods including impregnation, ion exchange, and deposition-precipitation to control and tune these factors, to establish structure-performance relationships, and to develop better catalysts. Meanwhile, chemists have improved the stability of metal nanoparticles against sintering by the application of protective layers, such as polymers and oxides that encapsulate the metal particle. This often leads to decreased catalytic activity due to a lack of precise control over the thickness of the protective layer. A promising method of catalyst synthesis is atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD is a variation on chemical vapor deposition in which metals, oxides, and other materials are deposited on surfaces by a sequence of self-limiting reactions. The self-limiting character of these reactions makes it possible to achieve uniform deposits on high-surface-area porous solids. Therefore, design and synthesis of advanced catalysts on the nanoscale becomes possible through precise control over the structure and composition of the underlying support, the catalytic active sites, and the protective layer. In this Account, we describe our advances in the synthesis and stabilization of supported metal catalysts by ALD. After a short introduction to the technique of ALD, we show several strategies for metal catalyst synthesis by ALD that take advantage of its self-limiting feature. Monometallic and bimetallic catalysts with precise control over the metal particle size, composition, and structure were achieved by combining ALD sequences, surface treatments, and deposition temperature control. Next, we describe ALD oxide overcoats applied with atomically precise thickness control that stabilize metal catalysts while preserving their catalytic function. We also discuss strategies for generation and control over the porosity of the overcoats that allow the embedded metal particles to remain accessible by reactants, and the details for ALD alumina overcoats on metal catalysts. Moreover, using methanol decomposition and oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane as probe reactions, we demonstrate that selectively blocking low coordination metal sites by oxide overcoats can provide another strategy to enhance both the durability and selectivity of metal catalysts.

Templating sub-10 nm atomic layer deposited oxide nanostructures on graphene via one-dimensional organic self-assembled monolayers.

Molecular-scale control over the integration of disparate materials on graphene is a critical step in the development of graphene-based electronics and sensors. Here, we report that self-assembled monolayers of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA) on epitaxial graphene can be used to template the reaction and directed growth of atomic layer deposited (ALD) oxide nanostructures with sub-10 nm lateral resolution. PCDA spontaneously assembles into well-ordered domains consisting of one-dimensional molecular chains that coat the entire graphene surface in a manner consistent with the symmetry of the underlying graphene lattice. Subsequently, zinc oxide and alumina ALD precursors are shown to preferentially react with the functional moieties of PCDA, resulting in templated oxide nanostructures. The retention of the original one-dimensional molecular ordering following ALD is dependent on the chemical reaction pathway and the stability of the monolayer, which can be enhanced via ultraviolet-induced molecular cross-linking.

Synthesis of porous carbon supported palladium nanoparticle catalysts by atomic layer deposition: application for rechargeable lithium-O2 battery.

In this study, atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to deposit nanostructured palladium on porous carbon as the cathode material for Li-O2 cells. Scanning transmission electron microscopy showed discrete crystalline nanoparticles decorating the surface of the porous carbon support, where the size could be controlled in the range of 2-8 nm and depended on the number of Pd ALD cycles performed. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Pd K-edge revealed that the carbon supported Pd existed in a mixed phase of metallic palladium and palladium oxide. The conformality of ALD allowed us to uniformly disperse the Pd catalyst onto the carbon support while preserving the initial porous structure. As a result, the charging and discharging performance of the oxygen cathode in a Li-O2 cell was improved. Our results suggest that ALD is a promising technique for tailoring the surface composition and structure of nanoporous supports in energy storage devices.

Atomic layer deposition overcoating: tuning catalyst selectivity for biomass conversion.

The terraces, edges, and facets of nanoparticles are all active sites for heterogeneous catalysis. These different active sites may cause the formation of various products during the catalytic reaction. Here we report that the step sites of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) can be covered precisely by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method, whereas the terrace sites remain as active component for the hydrogenation of furfural. Increasing the thickness of the ALD-generated overcoats restricts the adsorption of furfural onto the step sites of Pd NPs and increases the selectivity to furan. Furan selectivities and furfural conversions are linearly correlated for samples with or without an overcoating, though the slopes differ. The ALD technique can tune the selectivity of furfural hydrogenation over Pd NPs and has improved our understanding of the reaction mechanism. The above conclusions are further supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Sequential Infiltration Synthesis of Silicon Dioxide in Polymers with Ester Groups-Insight from In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy.

New strategies to synthesize nanometer-scale silicon dioxide (SiO2) patterns have drawn much attention in applications such as microelectronic and optoelectronic devices, membranes, and sensors, as we are approaching device dimensions shrinking below 10 nm. In this regard, sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS), a two-step gas-phase molecular assembly process that enables localized inorganic material growth in the targeted reactive domains of polymers, is an attractive process. In this work, we performed in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements during SiO2 SIS to investigate the reaction mechanism of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and tri(tert-pentoxy) silanol (TPS) precursors with polymers having ester functional groups (poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA), polycaprolactone (PCL), and poly(t-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA)), for the purpose of growing patterned nanomaterials. The FTIR results show that for PMMA and PEMA, a lower percentage of functional groups participated in the reactions and formed weak and unstable complexes. In contrast, almost all functional groups in PCL and PBMA participated in the reactions and showed stable and irreversible interactions with TMA. We discovered that the amount of SiO2 formed is not directly correlated with the number of interacting functional groups. These insights into the SiO2 SIS mechanism will enable nanopatterning of SiO2 for low-dimensional applications.

Protein-activated atomic layer deposition for robust crude-oil-repellent hierarchical nano-armored membranes.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) offers unique capabilities to fabricate atomically engineered porous materials with precise pore tuning and multi-functionalization for diverse applications like advanced membrane separations towards sustainable energy-water systems. However, current ALD technique is inhibited on most non-polar polymeric membranes due to lack of accessible nucleation sites. Here, we report a facile method to efficiently promote ALD coating on hydrophobic surface of polymeric membranes via novel protein activation/sensitization. As a proof of concept, TiO2 ALD-coated membranes activated by bovine serum albumin exhibit remarkable superhydrophilicity, ultralow underwater crude oil adhesion, and robust tolerance to rigorous environments including acid, alkali, saline, and ethanol. Most importantly, excellent cyclable crude oil-in-water emulsion separation performance can be achieved. The mechanism for activation/sensitization is rooted in reactivity for a particular set of amino acids. Furthermore, the universality of protein-sensitized ALD is demonstrated using common egg white, promising numerous potential usages in biomedical engineering, environmental remediation, low-carbon manufacturing, catalysis, and beyond.

Vapor Infiltration Synthesis of Indium Sulfide Magic Size Cluster.

The energetically favorable formation of atomically precise clusters, known as magic size clusters, in the solution phase enables a precision nanoscale synthesis with exquisite uniformity. We report the synthesis of magic size clusters via vapor infiltration of atomic layer deposition precursors directly in a polymer thin film. Sequential infiltration of trimethylindium vapor and hydrogen sulfide gas into poly(methyl methacrylate) leads to the formation of clusters with uniform properties consistent with a magic size cluster─In6S6(CH3)6. While an increase in cluster size might be expected with additional sequential infiltration cycles of the reactive In and S precursors, uniform properties consistent with magic size clusters form in multiple polymers under a range of processing conditions. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra of In6S6(CH3)6 are largely independent of the number of sequential infiltration cycles and exhibit air stability, both of which are attributed to an energetically favorable synthetic pathway that is evaluated with density functional theory.

Thiol-Functionalized Adsorbents through Atomic Layer Deposition and Vapor-Phase Silanization for Heavy Metal Ion Removal.

The removal of toxic heavy metal ions from water resources is crucial for environmental protection and public health. In this study, we address this challenge by developing a surface functionalization technique for the selective adsorption of these contaminants. Our approach involves atomic layer deposition (ALD) followed by vapor-phase silanization of porous substrates. We utilized porous silica gel powder (∼100 µm particles, 89 m2/g surface area, ∼30 nm pores) as an initial substrate. This powder was first coated with ∼0.5 nm ALD Al2O3, followed by vapor-phase grafting of a thiol-functional silane. The modified powder, particularly in acidic conditions (pH = 4), showed high selectivity in adsorbing Cd(II), As(V), Pb(II), Hg(II), and Cu(II) heavy metal ions in mixed ion solutions over common benign ions (e.g., Na, K, Ca, and Mg). Langmuir adsorption isotherms and breakthrough adsorption studies were conducted to assess heavy metal binding affinity and revealed the order of Cd(II) < Pb(II) < Cu(II) < As(V) < Hg(II), with a significantly higher affinity for As(V) and Hg(II) ions. Time-dependent uptake studies demonstrated rapid removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous environments, with Hg(II) exhibiting the fastest adsorption kinetics on thiol-modified surfaces. These findings highlight the potential of ALD and vapor-phase silanization to create effective adsorbents for the targeted removal of hazardous contaminants from water.