scholarly journals Exchange Functionals and Basis Set Comparisons for Theoretical Studies of ZnO Nonoclusters

Author(s):  
Duwage Perera ◽  
jayendran Rasaiah

Catalysts made of nano-scaled metal oxide clusters can push the limits of chemical reactions in the manufacture of paints, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The ZnO clusters can also act as semiconductors with a wide band gap of 3.4 eV at 300 K, and are prospective phoocatalysts in many reactions including H2 production in water splitting reactions. In this project, we studied the structural (geometry) and electronic properties (vertical detachment energy and electron affinity) of ZnO monomers and dimers that form model ZnO clusters, using density functional theory (DFT) with many different exchange functionals and 29 basis sets to optimize their choice. We compared the singlet-triplet energy gaps of small ZnO clusters to find the optimal ZnO cluster size and the best theoretical method to investigate their photocatalytic water splitting activity. Our results show that B3LYP/DGDZVP2 level of exchange functional/basis set theory is the most efficient and fastest of the ones considered. Comparison of the singlet-triplet energy gaps shows that the trimer (ZnO)3, with an energy gap of 58.66 k cal/mol, is approximately equal to the energy of a visible photon at 555 nm and a HOMO-LUMO gap of 4.4 eV, and is the best choice amongst the (ZnO)n clusters of different sizes when the number of monomers n in the clusters ranges from 1 to 6. We used the Gaussian16 software package for all the calculations.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duwage Perera ◽  
jayendran Rasaiah

Catalysts made of nano-scaled metal oxide clusters can push the limits of chemical reactions in the manufacture of paints, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The ZnO clusters can also act as semiconductors with a wide band gap of 3.4 eV at 300 K, and are prospective phoocatalysts in many reactions including H2 production in water splitting reactions. In this project, we studied the structural (geometry) and electronic properties (vertical detachment energy and electron affinity) of ZnO monomers and dimers that form model ZnO clusters, using density functional theory (DFT) with many different exchange functionals and 29 basis sets to optimize their choice. We compared the singlet-triplet energy gaps of small ZnO clusters to find the optimal ZnO cluster size and the best theoretical method to investigate their photocatalytic water splitting activity. Our results show that B3LYP/DGDZVP2 level of exchange functional/basis set theory is the most efficient and fastest of the ones considered. Comparison of the singlet-triplet energy gaps shows that the trimer (ZnO)3, with an energy gap of 58.66 k cal/mol, is approximately equal to the energy of a visible photon at 555 nm and a HOMO-LUMO gap of 4.4 eV, and is the best choice amongst the (ZnO)n clusters of different sizes when the number of monomers n in the clusters ranges from 1 to 6. We used the Gaussian16 software package for all the calculations.


Author(s):  
Rabiu Nuhu Muhammad ◽  
N. M. Mahraz ◽  
A. S Gidado ◽  
A. Musa

Tetrathiafulvalene () is an organosulfur compound used in the production of molecular devices such as switches, sensors, nonlinear optical devices and rectifiers. In this work, a theoretical study on the effects of solvent on TTF molecule was investigated and reported based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) as implemented in Gaussian 03 package using B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) basis set. Different solvents were introduced as a bridge to investigate their effects on the electronic structure. The HUMO, LUMO, energy gap, global chemical index, thermodynamic properties, NLO and DOS analysis of the TTF molecule in order to determine the reactivity and stability of the molecule were obtained. The results obtained showed that the solvents have effects on the electronic and non-linear-optical properties of the molecule. The optimized bond length revealed that the molecule has strong bond in gas phase with smallest bond length of about 1.0834Å than in the rest of the solvents. It was observed that the molecule is more stable in acetonitrile with HOMO-LUMO gap and chemical hardness of 3.6373eV and 1.8187eV respectively. This indicates that the energy gap and chemical hardness of TTF molecule increases with the increase in polarity and dielectric constant of the solvents. The computed results agreed with the results in the literature. The thermodynamics and NLO properties calculation also indicated that TTF molecule has highest value of specific heat capacity (Cv), total dipole moment () and first order hyperpolarizability () in acetonitrile, while acetone has the highest value of entropy and toluene has a slightly higher value of zero point vibrational energy (ZPVE) than the rest of the solvents. The results show that careful selection of the solvents and basis sets can tune the frontier molecular orbital energy gap of the molecule and can be used for molecular device applications.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel Morales ◽  
Stephen Rhatigan ◽  
Michael Nolan ◽  
Frances Illas

One of the main drawbacks in the density functional theory (DFT) formalism is the underestimation of the energy gaps in semiconducting materials. The combination of DFT with an explicit treatment of electronic correlation with a Hubbard-like model, known as DFT+<i>U</i> method, has been extensively applied to open up the energy gap in materials. Here, we introduce a systematic study where the selection of <i>U</i> parameter is analyzed considering two different basis sets: plane-waves (PWs) and numerical atomic orbitals (NAOs), together with different implementations for including <i>U</i>, to investigate the structural and electronic properties of a well-defined bipyramidal (TiO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>35 </sub>nanoparticle (NP). This study reveals, as expected, that a certain <i>U</i> value can reproduce the experimental value for the energy gap. However, there is a high dependence on the choice of basis set and, and on the +<i>U</i> parameter employed. The present study shows that the linear combination of the NAO basis functions, as implemented in FHI-aims, requires a lower <i>U</i> value than the simplified rotationally invariant approaches as implemented in VASP. Therefore, the transferability of <i>U</i> values between codes is unfeasible and not recommended, demanding initial benchmark studies for the property of interest as a reference to determine the appropriate value of <i>U</i>.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel Morales ◽  
Stephen Rhatigan ◽  
Michael Nolan ◽  
Frances Illas

One of the main drawbacks in the density functional theory (DFT) formalism is the underestimation of the energy gaps in semiconducting materials. The combination of DFT with an explicit treatment of electronic correlation with a Hubbard-like model, known as DFT+<i>U</i> method, has been extensively applied to open up the energy gap in materials. Here, we introduce a systematic study where the selection of <i>U</i> parameter is analyzed considering two different basis sets: plane-waves (PWs) and numerical atomic orbitals (NAOs), together with different implementations for including <i>U</i>, to investigate the structural and electronic properties of a well-defined bipyramidal (TiO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>35 </sub>nanoparticle (NP). This study reveals, as expected, that a certain <i>U</i> value can reproduce the experimental value for the energy gap. However, there is a high dependence on the choice of basis set and, and on the +<i>U</i> parameter employed. The present study shows that the linear combination of the NAO basis functions, as implemented in FHI-aims, requires a lower <i>U</i> value than the simplified rotationally invariant approaches as implemented in VASP. Therefore, the transferability of <i>U</i> values between codes is unfeasible and not recommended, demanding initial benchmark studies for the property of interest as a reference to determine the appropriate value of <i>U</i>.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Batra ◽  
Stefan Zahn ◽  
Thomas Heine

<p>We thoroughly benchmark time-dependent density- functional theory for the predictive calculation of UV/Vis spectra of porphyrin derivatives. With the aim to provide an approach that is computationally feasible for large-scale applications such as biological systems or molecular framework materials, albeit performing with high accuracy for the Q-bands, we compare the results given by various computational protocols, including basis sets, density-functionals (including gradient corrected local functionals, hybrids, double hybrids and range-separated functionals), and various variants of time-dependent density-functional theory, including the simplified Tamm-Dancoff approximation. An excellent choice for these calculations is the range-separated functional CAM-B3LYP in combination with the simplified Tamm-Dancoff approximation and a basis set of double-ζ quality def2-SVP (mean absolute error [MAE] of ~0.05 eV). This is not surpassed by more expensive approaches, not even by double hybrid functionals, and solely systematic excitation energy scaling slightly improves the results (MAE ~0.04 eV). </p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangeeta Srivastava ◽  
Nadeem Ahmad Ansari ◽  
Sadaf Aleem

: Gallic acid is abundantly found in amla (Phyllanthus emblica), a deciduous of the family phyllanthaceae. Gallic acid, the major constituent of the plant was methylated to 3,4,5 trimethoxy gallic acid, which then underwent steglich esterification first with paracetamol and then with 4-hydroxy acetophenone to yield 4-acetamidophenyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate and 4-acetyl phenyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate “respectively”. 1H NMR, 13C NMR, UV, FT-IR and mass spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized compounds. Density functional theory (B3YLP) using 6-31G (d,p) basis set have been used for quantum chemical calculations. AIM (Atom in molecule) approach depicted weak molecular interactions within the molecules whereas the reactive site and reactivity within the molecule were examined by global and local reactivity descriptors. The HOMO and LUMO energies and frontier orbital energy gap were calculated by time dependant DFT approach using IEFPCM model. Small value for HOMO–LUMO energy gap indicated that easier charge transfer occurs within compound 4. The nucleophilic and electrophilic reactivity were determined by MEP (molecular electrostatic potential) experiment. Polarizability, dipole moment, and first hyperpolarizability values were calculated to depict the NLO (nonlinear optical) property of both the synthesized compounds. The antimicrobial activity was also carried out and broad spectrum antibacterial activity against several strains of bacteria and certain unicellular fungi were exhibited by synthesized compound 3.


2007 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 711-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Seif ◽  
Mahmoud Mirzaei ◽  
Mehran Aghaie ◽  
Asadollah Boshra

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to calculate the electric field gradient (EFG) tensors at the sites of aliminium (27Al) and nitrogen (14N) nuclei in an 1 nm of length (6,0) single-walled aliminium nitride nanotube (AlNNT) in three forms of the tubes, i. e. hydrogencapped, aliminium-terminated and nitrogen-terminated as representatives of zigzag AlNNTs. At first, each form was optimized at the level of the Becke3,Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) method, 6-311G∗∗ basis set. After, the EFG tensors were calculated at the level of the B3LYP method, 6-311++G∗∗ and individual gauge for localized orbitals (IGLO-II and IGLO-III) types of basis sets in each of the three optimized forms and were converted to experimentally measurable nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) parameters, i. e. quadrupole coupling constant (qcc) and asymmetry parameter (ηQ). The evaluated NQR parameters revealed that the considered model of AlNNT can be divided into four equivalent layers with similar electrostatic properties.With the exception of Al-1, all of the three other Al layers have almost the same properties, however, N layers show significant differences in the magnitudes of the NQR parameters in the length of the nanotube. Furthermore, the evaluated NQR parameters of Al-1 in the Al-terminated form and N-1 in the N-terminated form revealed the different roles of Al (base agent) and of N (acid agent) in AlNNT. All the calculations were carried out using the GAUSSIAN 98 package program.


Author(s):  
N. Daho ◽  
N. Benhalima ◽  
F. KHELFAOUI ◽  
O. SADOUKI ◽  
M. Elkeurti ◽  
...  

In this work, a comprehensive investigation of the salicylideneaniline derivatives is carried out using density functional theory to determine their linear and non-linear optical properties. Geometry optimizations, for gas and solvent phases, of the tautomers (enol and keto forms) are calculated using B3LYP levels with 6–31G (d,p) basis set . An intramolecular proton transfer, for 1SA-E and 2SA-E, is performed by a PES scan process at the B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) level. The optical properties are determined and show that they have extremely high nonlinear optical properties. In addition, the RDG analysis, MEP, and gap energy are calculated. The low energy gap value indicates the possibility of intramolecular charge transfer. The frontier molecular orbital calculations clearly show the inverse relationship of HOMO–LUMO gap with the first-order hyperpolarizability (β = 59.6471 × 10-30 esu), confirming that the salicylideneaniline derivatives can be used as attractive future NLO materials. Therefore, the reactive sites are predicted using MEP and the visible absorption maxima are analyzed using a theoretical UV–Vis spectrum. Natural bond orbitals are used to investigate the stability, charge delocalization, and intramolecular hydrogen bond.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 1450023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Ghiasi ◽  
Morteza Zaman Fashami ◽  
Amir Hossein Hakimioun

In this work, the interaction of C 20 with N 2 X 2 ( X = H , F , Cl , Br , Me ) molecules has been explored using the B3LYP, M062x methods and 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311+G(d,p) basis sets. The interaction energies (IEs) obtained with standard method were corrected by basis set superposition error (BSSE) during the geometry optimization for all molecules at the same levels of theory. It was found C 20… N 2 H 2 interaction is stronger than the interaction of other N 2 X 2 ( X = F , Cl , Br , Me ) with C 20. Highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO, respectively) levels are illustrated by density of states spectra (DOS). The nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICSs) confirm that C 20… N 2 X 2 molecules exhibit aromatic characteristics. Geometries obtained from DFT calculations were used to perform NBO analysis. Also, 14 N NQR parameters of the C 20… N 2 X 2 molecules are predicted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-251
Author(s):  
A. S. Gidado ◽  
L. S. Taura ◽  
A. Musa

Pyrene (C16H10) is an organic semiconductor which has wide applications in the field of organic electronics suitable for the development of organic light emitting diodes (OLED) and organic photovoltaic cells (OPV). In this work, Density Functional Theory (DFT) using Becke’s three and Lee Yang Parr (B3LYP) functional with basis set 6-311++G(d, p) implemented in Gaussian 03 package was  used to compute total energy, bond parameters, HOMO-LUMO energy gap, electron affinity, ionization potential, chemical reactivity descriptors, dipole moment, isotropic polarizability (α), anisotropy of polarizability ( Δ∝) total first order hyper-polarizability () and second order hyperpolarizability (). The molecules used are pyrene, 1-chloropyrene and 4-chloropyrene  in gas phase and in five different solvents: benzene, chloroform, acetone, DMSO and water. The results obtained show that solvents and chlorination actually influenced the properties of the molecules. The isolated pyrene in acetone has the largest value of HOMO-LUMO energy gap of and is a bit closer to a previously reported experimental value of  and hence is the most stable. Thus, the pyrene molecule has more kinetic stability and can be described as low reactive molecule. The calculated dipole moments are in the order of 4-chloropyrene (1.7645 D) < 1-chloropyrene (1.9663 D) in gas phase. The anisotropy of polarizability ( for pyrene and its derivatives were found to increase with increasing polarity of the solvents.  In a nutshell, the molecules will be promising for organic optoelectronic devices based on their computed properties as reported by this work.


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