Smallest [5,6]fullerene as building blocks for 2D networks with superior stability and enhanced photocatalytic performance

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Hauptverfasser: Wu, Jiaqi, Peng, Bo
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Wu, Jiaqi
Peng, Bo
author_facet Wu, Jiaqi
Peng, Bo
contents The assembly of molecules to form covalent networks can create varied lattice structures with distinct physical and chemical properties from conventional atomic lattices. Using the smallest stable [5,6]fullerene units as building blocks, various 2D C$_{24}$ networks can be formed with superior stability and strength compared to the recently synthesised monolayer polymeric C$_{60}$. Monolayer C$_{24}$ harnesses the properties of both carbon crystals and fullerene molecules, such as stable chemical bonds, suitable band gaps and large surface area, facilitating photocatalytic water splitting. The electronic band gaps of C$_{24}$ are comparable to TiO$_2$, providing appropriate band edges with sufficient external potential for overall water splitting over the acidic and neutral pH range. Upon photoexcitation, strong solar absorption enabled by strongly bound bright excitons can generate carriers effectively, while the type-II band alignment between C$_{24}$ and other 2D monolayers can separate electrons and holes in individual layers simultaneously. Additionally, the number of surface active sites of C$_{24}$ monolayers are three times more than that of their C$_{60}$ counterparts in a much wider pH range, providing spontaneous reaction pathways for hydrogen evolution reaction. Our work provides insights into materials design using tunable building blocks of fullerene units with tailored functions for energy generation, conversion and storage.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_15421
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Smallest [5,6]fullerene as building blocks for 2D networks with superior stability and enhanced photocatalytic performance
Wu, Jiaqi
Peng, Bo
Materials Science
Applied Physics
Atomic and Molecular Clusters
Chemical Physics
Computational Physics
The assembly of molecules to form covalent networks can create varied lattice structures with distinct physical and chemical properties from conventional atomic lattices. Using the smallest stable [5,6]fullerene units as building blocks, various 2D C$_{24}$ networks can be formed with superior stability and strength compared to the recently synthesised monolayer polymeric C$_{60}$. Monolayer C$_{24}$ harnesses the properties of both carbon crystals and fullerene molecules, such as stable chemical bonds, suitable band gaps and large surface area, facilitating photocatalytic water splitting. The electronic band gaps of C$_{24}$ are comparable to TiO$_2$, providing appropriate band edges with sufficient external potential for overall water splitting over the acidic and neutral pH range. Upon photoexcitation, strong solar absorption enabled by strongly bound bright excitons can generate carriers effectively, while the type-II band alignment between C$_{24}$ and other 2D monolayers can separate electrons and holes in individual layers simultaneously. Additionally, the number of surface active sites of C$_{24}$ monolayers are three times more than that of their C$_{60}$ counterparts in a much wider pH range, providing spontaneous reaction pathways for hydrogen evolution reaction. Our work provides insights into materials design using tunable building blocks of fullerene units with tailored functions for energy generation, conversion and storage.
title Smallest [5,6]fullerene as building blocks for 2D networks with superior stability and enhanced photocatalytic performance
topic Materials Science
Applied Physics
Atomic and Molecular Clusters
Chemical Physics
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.15421