UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Exact matrix treatment of the statistical mechanics of adsorption of large aromatic molecules on graphene

Dunne, LJ; Manos, G; (2020) Exact matrix treatment of the statistical mechanics of adsorption of large aromatic molecules on graphene. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics , 22 (21) pp. 12113-12119. 10.1039/d0cp00255k. Green open access

[thumbnail of CP-ART-01-2020-000255.R2_Accepted.pdf]
Preview
Text
CP-ART-01-2020-000255.R2_Accepted.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (412kB) | Preview

Abstract

Experimental studies of adsorption from solution of the large aromatic molecules 1,2-dihydroxybenzene (catechol) and phenyl hydroquinone on graphene nanoplatelets show that at low coverage adsorption is followed by a transition which occurs from adsorbed molecules in flat to more vertically oriented states. Catechol adsorption isotherms exhibit 2 plateaus while phenyl hydroquinone shows 3 plateaus indicating 2 and 3 active conformers respectively participating in the adsorption process. Modelling such adsorption isotherms presents a challenge. Here, an exact matrix treatment of the statistical mechanics of a one-dimensional model of adsorption of catechol and dihydroquinone on graphene nanoplatelets is presented. The theoretical adsorption isotherms successfully reproduce all the features of both the catechol and dihydroquinone experimental adsorption isotherms. As suggested by the experimentalists, our theoretical model demonstrates that adsorbed phenyl hydroquinone molecules adopt a flat orientation at low concentrations and an edge orientation at higher coverage before eventually adopting a vertical configuration. Both catechol and phenyl hydroquinone can be described by our interconvertible monomer-dimer-trimer model. The theoretical adsorption isotherms obtained show several plateaus reflecting the types of conformer on the graphene surface.

Type: Article
Title: Exact matrix treatment of the statistical mechanics of adsorption of large aromatic molecules on graphene
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1039/d0cp00255k
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CP00255K
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Chemical Engineering
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10098366
Downloads since deposit
37Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item