The excess electron in polymer nanocomposites
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Published version
Author(s)
Saiz, Fernan
Quirke, N
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We have used ab initio molecular dynamics and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G** level of theory to evaluate the energy and localisation of excess electrons at a number of representative interfaces of polymer nanocomposites. These modelled interfaces are made by combining liquid water and amorphous slabs of polyethylene and silica. The walls of the amorphous silica slabs are built with two surface chemistries: Q4 or fully-dehydroxylated and Q3/Q4 or partially-hydroxylated with a silanol content between 1.62 and 6.86 groups per nm2. Our results indicate that in silica/polyethylene systems an excess electron would sit at the interface with energies between −1.75 eV with no hydroxylation and −0.99 eV with the highest silanol content. However, in the presence of a free water film, the chemistry of the silica surface has a negligible influence on the behaviour of the excess electron. The electron sits preferentially at the water/vapour interface with an energy of minus a few tenths of an eV. We conclude that the moisture content in a wet polymer nanocomposite has a profound influence on the electron trapping behaviour as it produces much lower trapping energies and a higher excess-electron mobility compared to the dry material.
Date Issued
2018-11-21
Date Acceptance
2018-09-18
Citation
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2018, 20, pp.27528-27538
ISSN
1463-9076
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
27528
End Page
27538
Journal / Book Title
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
Volume
20
Copyright Statement
© the Owner Societies 2018. This article is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
EP/N002288/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, Physical
Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Chemistry
Physics
LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE
SET MODEL CHEMISTRY
AMORPHOUS POLYETHYLENE
MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS
HYDROXYL-GROUPS
ENERGY DENSITY
BULK WATER
SURFACE
OXIDE
SIMULATIONS
02 Physical Sciences
03 Chemical Sciences
Chemical Physics
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-10-29