Formation of ordered ice nanotubes inside carbon nanotubes

Following their discovery, carbon nanotubes have attracted interest not only for their unusual electrical and mechanical properties, but also because their hollow interior can serve as a nanometre-sized capillary, mould or template in material fabrication. The ability to encapsulate a material in a nanotube also offers new possibilities for investigating dimensionally confined phase transitions. Particularly intriguing is the conjecture that matter within the narrow confines of a carbon nanotube might exhibit a solid-liquid critical point beyond which the distinction between solid and liquid phases disappears. This unusual feature, which cannot occur in bulk material, would allow for the direct and continuous transformation of liquid matter into a solid. Here we report simulations of the behaviour of water encapsulated in carbon nanotubes that suggest the existence of a variety of new ice phases not seen in bulk ice, and of a solid-liquid critical point. Using carbon nanotubes with diameters ranging from 1.1 nm to 1.4 nm and applied axial pressures of 50 MPa to 500 MPa, we find that water can exhibit a first-order freezing transition to hexagonal and heptagonal ice nanotubes, and a continuous phase transformation into solid-like square or pentagonal ice nanotubes.     

受限在纳米水环境空间中的甲烷分子

运用分子动力学模拟方法,研究了甲烷与水受限在碳纳米管中的一些性质.计算机模拟发现水分子和甲烷径向密度的非均匀分布.根据径向密度分布情况,将碳纳米管中的甲烷与水分层,分别计算了甲烷分子与水分子的扩散系数和平均氢键数.模拟结果表明:受限在碳纳米管内部中的甲烷趋向在管壁积聚,但当甲烷浓度较高时,发现在碳纳米管中央有部分甲烷分子积聚.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of water conduction within carbon nanotube

Water molecule transportation through a single-walled carbon nanotube under a charge influence on tube was simulated.As the charge located at middle tube increases from 0.0e to 0.7e,water molecular orientations develop from a consistent orientation(0≤q≤0.4e) to bipolar orientations(L defect,when q≥0.5e).Water molecule permeation through the channel is almost the same as in charge-free nanotube when q≤0.2e.As q increases further the permeation decreases sharply.When q=0.6e the permeation becomes negligible and the tube channel effectively closes.     

分子动力学模拟研究纳米孔道中受限水的自扩散

利用分子动力学模拟技术考察受限于3种不同材料的纳米孔道(单壁碳管、硼氮管、铁原子孔道)中水分子的静态结构与扩散动力学,计算孔道中水分子沿轴向的自扩散系数Dz,讨论孔道截面尺寸、形状以及组成材料的变化对水分子扩散动力学的影响.结果表明,水分子的轴向自扩散系数随孔道半径的增大而减小,光滑的孔道壁有利于水分子的运输.在3种孔道限制体中,水分子在单壁碳纳米管内的自扩散系数最大.     

First-order transition in confined water between high-density liquid and low-density amorphous phases

Supercooled water and amorphous ice have a rich metastable phase behaviour. In addition to transitions between high- and low-density amorphous solids, and between high- and low-density liquids, a fragile-to-strong liquid transition has recently been proposed, and supported by evidence from the behaviour of deeply supercooled bilayer water confined in hydrophilic slit pores. Here we report evidence from molecular dynamics simulations for another type of first-order phase transition--a liquid-to-bilayer amorphous transition--above the freezing temperature of bulk water at atmospheric pressure. This transition occurs only when water is confined in a hydrophobic slit pore with a width of less than one nanometre. On cooling, the confined water, which has an imperfect random hydrogen-bonded network, transforms into a bilayer amorphous phase with a perfect network (owing to the formation of various hydrogen-bonded polygons) but no long-range order. The transition shares some characteristics with those observed in tetrahedrally coordinated substances such as liquid silicon, liquid carbon and liquid phosphorus.     

限域在扶手椅型SWBNNT内Lys分子手性转变的反应机理

采用量子力学与分子力学组合的ONIOM方法, 研究限域在扶手椅型单壁氮化硼纳米管(SWBNNT)内赖氨酸(Lys)分子手性转变的反应机理. 采用原子中心密度矩阵传播（ADMP)分子动力学方法, 研究Lys分子在SWBNNT(5,5)内手性转变反应通道入口与出口势能面上的动态反应路径, 给出中间体和产物的微观动态反应图像. 结果表明： 随着纳米管管径的减小, 限域其中的Lys分子骨架C原子间的键角明显增大; 手性C上的H与氨基N的距离逐渐变小; 在SWBNNT(5,5)内, 通过2个基元反应Lys分子实现了手性转变; 在SWBNNT(6,6)和SWBNNT(7,7)内, 通过3个和4个基元反应Lys分子实现了手性转变 ; 在SWBNNT(5,5)内, Lys分子手性转变反应决速步骤自由能垒降为最低值190.1 kJ/mol. 在 SWBNNT(7,7)内, 决速步骤能垒与裸反应基本相同.     

碳纳米管阴极场致发射的电场数值模拟

利用Visual FORTRAN语言，对碳纳米管阴极的外电势分布和电场强度分布进行了数值模拟．采用非等间距的网格划分对碳纳米管尖端附近进行细致的划分处理，并利用等参有限元方法进行了模拟计算．分析了碳纳米管尖端局部电场强度的增强效应和相邻碳纳米管之间的电场屏蔽现象．讨论了碳纳米管电场强度随管间距变化的关系以及碳纳米管尖端电场强度随半径变化的关系。     

Quantum phase transition in a single-molecule quantum dot

Quantum criticality is the intriguing possibility offered by the laws of quantum mechanics when the wave function of a many-particle physical system is forced to evolve continuously between two distinct, competing ground states. This phenomenon, often related to a zero-temperature magnetic phase transition, is believed to govern many of the fascinating properties of strongly correlated systems such as heavy-fermion compounds or high-temperature superconductors. In contrast to bulk materials with very complex electronic structures, artificial nanoscale devices could offer a new and simpler means of understanding quantum phase transitions. Here we demonstrate this possibility in a single-molecule quantum dot, where a gate voltage induces a crossing of two different types of electron spin state (singlet and triplet) at zero magnetic field. The quantum dot is operated in the Kondo regime, where the electron spin on the quantum dot is partially screened by metallic electrodes. This strong electronic coupling between the quantum dot and the metallic contacts provides the strong electron correlations necessary to observe quantum critical behaviour. The quantum magnetic phase transition between two different Kondo regimes is achieved by tuning gate voltages and is fundamentally different from previously observed Kondo transitions in semiconductor and nanotube quantum dots. Our work may offer new directions in terms of control and tunability for molecular spintronics.     

A first-order liquid-liquid phase transition in phosphorus

First-order structural phase transitions are common in crystalline solids, whereas first-order liquid-liquid phase transitions (that is, transitions between two distinct liquid forms with different density and entropy) are exceedingly rare in pure substances. But recent theoretical and experimental studies have shown evidence for such a transition in several materials, including supercooled water and liquid carbon. Here we report an in situ X-ray diffraction observation of a liquid-liquid transition in phosphorus, involving an abrupt, pressure-induced structural change between two distinct liquid forms. In addition to a known form of liquid phosphorus--a molecular liquid comprising tetrahedral P4 molecules--we have found a polymeric form at pressures above 1 GPa. Changing the pressure results in a reversible transformation from the low-pressure molecular form into the high-pressure polymeric form. The transformation is sharp and rapid, occurring within a few minutes over a pressure range of less than 0.02 GPa. During the transformation, the two forms of liquid coexist. These features are strongly suggestive of a first-order liquid-liquid phase transition.     

碳纳米管阵列储氢的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学方法,模拟了常温和不同压强下,氢在不同管径和管间距的单壁碳纳米管阵列(SWCNTA—S ingle-walled Carbon Nanotube Arrays)中的物理吸附过程.重点研究了压强、管径和管间距对SWCNTA(管内和管间隙)物理吸附储氢的影响.发现氢分子主要储存在SWCNTA的管壁附近,适当地增大管径和管间距可有效增加SWCNTA的物理吸附储氢量,使其在常温下具有较高的储氢能力,并给出了相应的理论解释.计算结果表明,在常温和中等压强下,SWCNTA的物理吸附总储氢量(重量百分比)可达4.2%,从而为同等条件下SWCNTA具有较高储氢能力的实验结果提供了直接的理论支持.     

单壁碳纳米管中受限水的热容及饱和含水量

单壁碳纳米管纳米级的管径使其成为一种准一维的容器．用示差扫描量热的方法对受限于单壁碳纳米管中水的热容进行研究,结果显示,受限水的热容．温度曲线在所测量的温度范围内并未出现熔融峰,并且相比于同温度下的本体水,单壁碳纳米管中受限水的热容有反常的降低．红外光谱显示,单壁碳纳米管内水的氢键强度相对本体水变弱．结合红外结果可知,受限水热容反常降低的现象是因为氢键强度的下降,导致构象对热容的贡献减少．通过对溢出部分水的焓值计算可知,单壁碳纳米管内受限水含量质量分数上限为16％．简化模型预测的单壁碳纳米管理论含水量比实际含水量质量分数高出2％左右．     

苏氨酸分子的构象转变及水分子与羟基自由基的催化机理

采用密度泛函理论的B3LYP方法和微扰论的MP2方法, 研究苏氨酸分子构象转变机制以及水分子与羟基自由基对氢迁移反应的催化作用. 结果表明： S-苏氨酸向R 别苏氨酸的构象转变反应有4个通道, R-别苏氨酸向R-苏氨酸与S-苏氨酸向S-别苏氨酸的构象转变反应各有1个通道; S-苏氨酸向R-别苏氨酸构象转变反应的最高能垒为250.2 kJ/mol; R-别苏氨酸向R-苏氨酸构象转变反应的最高能垒为335.0 kJ/mol; S-苏氨酸向S-别苏氨酸构象转变反应的最高能垒为359.6 kJ/mol; 2个水分子构成的链及水分子/羟基自由基构成的链对质子迁移反应有较好的催化作用, 使S-苏氨酸向R-别苏氨酸构象转变反应的高能垒分别降为128.3 kJ/mol和108.6 kJ/mol.     

受分子寿命影响的中继最大可达传输速率

基于扩散的分子通信以分子作为信息载体进行信息的传输,分子在信道中做布朗运动,遵循菲克扩散定律.随着扩散距离的增加,分子浓度急速衰减,造成信道可达传输速率非常低,因此,可以采用中继传输来提高传输性能.鉴于扩散分子通信中继可达传输速率是业界研究的热点与难点,采用配体-受体结合机制,考虑分子寿命及分子到达概率等因素的影响,研究了基于扩散的分子通信中继信道对分子传输可达速率的影响,也探索了基于分子寿命的中继节点位置对中继可达传输速率的影响.仿真结果显示,随着分子寿命的增加,分子在信道中存在的时间增加,使得信道最大传输速率增大.同时,随着分子寿命的增加,中继节点需要靠向接收端,才能使信道最大传输速率达到最大.     

单壁碳纳米管尺寸和手性对α-丙氨酸分子手性转变限域的影响

用量子化学ONIOM(B3LYP/6-31++g*:UFF)方法,考察扶椅型单壁碳纳米管SWCNT(5,5),(6,6),(7,7)、锯齿型SWCNT(9,0),(10,0),(11,0)和螺旋型SWCNT(8,2),(8,3),(8,4),(9,1),(9,2),(9,3)中的α-Ala分子结构和手性转变机制.结果表明:与单体相比,当α-Ala分子限域在直径小的SWCNT中时,其C—C—C键角、C—C—N—C二面角和H—N—H键角增加较大,其他结构参数值略有增减;只存在H先在羧基内转移,手性碳上的H再以羰基11O为桥梁转移的反应通道;当α-Ala分子限域在SWCNT(5,5),(9,0),(8,2),(9,1)中时,羧基内H转移和H从手性碳转移到羰基的能垒较低;α-Ala分子限域在SWCNT中的H转移反应能垒随管径的减小而降低;不同手性的SWCNT对H转移反应能垒影响较小.     

Self-aggregation of vapor-liquid phase transition

The concept of the molecular free path is introduced to derive a criterion distinguishing active molecules from inactive molecules in liquid phase. Based on molecular self-aggregation theory a concept of the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of active molecules is proposed to describe the physical configuration before the formation of the nuclei in the process of vapor-liquid phase transition. All active molecules exist in the form of the monomer when the concentration of active molecules is lower than CAC, while the active molecules will generate aggregation once the concentration of the active molecules reaches CAC. However, these aggregates with the aggregation number N smaller than 5 can steadily exist in bulk phase. The other excess active molecules can only produce infinite aggregation and form a critical nucleus of vapor-liquid phase transition. Without outer perturbation the state point of CAC corresponds to the critical superheated or supercooled state in the process of vapor-liquid phase transition. With the aggregate property, the interfacial tension between the bulk phase and the tiny new phase is predicted and a correction is made for the classical nucleation rate in a quite good agreement with experimental results.     

Light-induced liquid crystallinity

Liquid crystals are traditionally classified as thermotropic, lyotropic or polymeric, based on the stimulus that governs the organization and order of the molecular system. The most widely known and applied class of liquid crystals are a subset of thermotropic liquid crystals known as calamitic, in which adding heat can result in phase transitions from or into the nematic, cholesteric and smectic mesophases. Photoresponsive liquid-crystal materials and mixtures can undergo isothermal phase transitions if light affects the order parameter of the system within a mesophase sufficiently. In nearly all previous examinations, light exposure of photoresponsive liquid-crystal materials and mixtures resulted in order-decreasing photo-induced isothermal phase transitions. Under specialized conditions, an increase in order with light exposure has been reported, despite the tendency of the photoresponsive liquid-crystal system to reduce order in the exposed state. A direct, photo-induced transition from the isotropic to the nematic phase has been observed in a mixture of spiropyran molecules and a nematic liquid crystal. Here we report a class of naphthopyran-based materials that exhibit photo-induced conformational changes in molecular structure capable of yielding order-increasing phase transitions. Appropriate functionalization of the naphthopyran molecules leads to an exceedingly large order parameter in the open form, which results in a clear to strongly absorbing dichroic state. The increase in order with light exposure has profound implications in optics, photonics, lasing and displays and will merit further consideration for applications in solar energy harvesting. The large, photo-induced dichroism exhibited by the material system has been long sought in ophthalmic applications such as photochromic and polarized variable transmission sunglasses.     

多壁碳纳米管压缩与弯曲时屈曲的ANSYS模拟

壳模型是研究碳纳米管力学行为时广泛采用的模型,但模型的等效厚度与碳管的物理厚度差别较大,长期存在争议.特别是当壳模型用于多壁碳纳米管分析时,层间作用需要额外考虑.提出碳纳米管的三明治式连续介质模型,用三层连续介质模拟一层碳管：内层模拟层内σ-键,两外侧层模拟层间范德华作用和π-键.该模型可直接利用有限元方法分析多壁碳纳米管的力学行为,且与已有分子动力学等计算结果比较,表明了该模型的有效性.     

外加电场下碳纳米管的稳定性分析

基于Tersoff势,采用分子动力学方法研究了外加电场下碳纳米管的稳定性,并对不同半径及手性的碳纳米管进行了对比分析。结果表明:随着直径的增加,当作用于碳纳米管上的电场力表现为拉伸作用时,碳纳米管拉伸断裂的临界电场强度也随之增大,而当作用于碳纳米管上的电场力表现为压缩作用时,屈曲临界电场强度随着直径的增加而不断减小,但两种情况在直径2.0 nm以后都达到一个稳定的值。     

螺旋手性SWCNT的尺寸对赖氨酸分子手性转变反应的限域影响

采用量子力学与分子力学组合的ONIOM方法,研究了两种构象的赖氨酸分子限域在螺旋手性单壁碳纳米管内的手性转变机理.结构分析表明:纳米管管径越小,限域在其中的赖氨酸分子骨架形变越明显,手性碳上的氢原子与氨基上氮的氮原子距离越小.势能面计算表明,两种构象的赖氨酸分子限域在SWCNT(6,4)时,旋光异构反应决速步的吉布斯自由能垒分别是194.72和170.08kJ·mol~(-1),分别由质子从手性碳向氨基氮和质子从手性碳向氨基氮与氨基上的质子向羰基氧双质子协同迁移的过渡态产生的.与裸反应的此通道决速步能垒252.6kJ·mol~(-1)相比较有显著降低.两种构象的赖氨酸分子限域在SWCNT(6,4)内旋光异构反应的表观能垒分别是160.00和178.59kJ·mol~(-1).他们限域在SWCNT(7,4)内时,旋光异构反应决速步的能垒分别是238.28和217.18kJ·mol~(-1);限域在SWCNT(8,4)内时,旋光异构反应决速步的能垒分别是253.00和250.11kJ·mol~(-1).结果表明:螺旋手性单壁碳纳米管的孔径越小,对赖氨酸分子手性转变反应的限域催化作用越好;限域在SWCNT(6,4)内的赖氨酸分子构象1更容易旋光异构.     

Quantum phase transition in a resonant level coupled to interacting leads

A Luttinger liquid is an interacting one-dimensional electronic system, quite distinct from the 'conventional' Fermi liquids formed by interacting electrons in two and three dimensions. Some of the most striking properties of Luttinger liquids are revealed in the process of electron tunnelling. For example, as a function of the applied bias voltage or temperature, the tunnelling current exhibits a non-trivial power-law suppression. (There is no such suppression in a conventional Fermi liquid.) Here, using a carbon nanotube connected to resistive leads, we create a system that emulates tunnelling in a Luttinger liquid, by controlling the interaction of the tunnelling electron with its environment. We further replace a single tunnelling barrier with a double-barrier, resonant-level structure and investigate resonant tunnelling between Luttinger liquids. At low temperatures, we observe perfect transparency of the resonant level embedded in the interacting environment, and the width of the resonance tends to zero. We argue that this behaviour results from many-body physics of interacting electrons, and signals the presence of a quantum phase transition. Given that many parameters, including the interaction strength, can be precisely controlled in our samples, this is an attractive model system for studying quantum critical phenomena in general, with wide-reaching implications for understanding quantum phase transitions in more complex systems, such as cold atoms and strongly correlated bulk materials.