Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.402, 204-214, 2013
Theoretical study of ammonia oxidation on platinum clusters - Adsorption of intermediate nitrogen dimer molecules
Density Functional Theory calculations with the hybrid B3LYP functional and the LANL2DZ and 6311++g** basis sets were used to calculate the adsorption energies, geometries and vibration modes of N2H2 (z= 0-4) molecules on a cluster of 20 platinum atoms. Based on calculated binding energies, the trans conformations of N2H4 and N2H2 were predicted to adsorb with one nitrogen in contact with the cluster; N2H3 and N2H radicals adsorb with both nitrogen atoms in contact with the catalyst; while N-2 was not found to adsorb to any appreciable degree. Calculated frequencies showed N-N bond stretching frequency occurs at 913 cm(-1) and 953 cm(-1) for N2H4 and N2H3, respectively and is blueshifted to 1603 cm-1 and 1631 cm(-1) for N2H and N2H2, respectively. This trend suggests that the formation of this bond could indicate the presence of these species during ammonia oxidation as a shift from 900 to 1600 cm-1 is expected when the single bond becomes a double bond. Finally, this study combined with earlier studies predicts the following trend for the adsorption energies of species formed: N-2 < H2O < NH3 < N2H2 < N2H4 < N2H < N2H3 < OH < NH2 < NH < N. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Density Functional Theory methods;Ammonia oxidation;Ammonia electrolysis;Hydrazine adsorption;Hydrazyl adsorption;Diazene adsorption;Platinum catalyst;Hydrogen production