Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a dedicated force-field and our bond valence (BV) pathway analysis have been employed to reproduce and explain the experimentally observed ultrafast Li+ transport in surface modified LixFePO4-δ as a consequence of heterogeneous doping, i.e. the Li+ redistribution in the vicinity of the interface between LixFePO4 and a pyrophosphate glass surface layer. Over the usual working temperature range of LIBs Li+ ion conductivity in the surface modified LixFePO4 phase is enhanced by 2-3 orders of magnitude, while the enhancement practically vanishes for T > 700K. Simulations for the bulk phase reproduce the experimental conductivities and the activation energy of 0.57eV (for x ≈ 1). A layer-by-layer analysis of structurally relaxed multilayer systems indicates a continuous variation of Li+ mobility with the distance from the interface and the maximum mobility close to the interface, but Li+ diffusion rate remains enhanced (compared to bulk values) even at the center of the simulated cathode material crystallites. Our BV migration pathway analysis in the dynamic local structure models shows that the ion mobility is related to the extension of unoccupied accessible pathway regions. The change in the extent of Li redistribution across the interface with the overall Li content constitutes a fast pseudo-capacitive (dis)charging contribution.

To shed light on the nature of the electronic states at play in N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles, we have performed detailed ground and excited state calculations on pure and N-doped TiO2 rutile using an embedding model. We have validated our model by comparing ground-state embedded results with those obtained from periodic DFT calculations. Our results are consistent with periodic calculations. Using this embedding model we have performed B3LYP based TDDFT calculations of the excited state spectrum. We have also studied the lowest excitations using high-level equation-of-motion coupled cluster (EOMCC) approaches involving all single and inter-band double excitations. We compare and contrast the nature of the excitations in detail for the pure and doped systems using these calculations. Our calculations indicate a lowering of the bandgap and confirm the role of the N3- states on the UV/Vis spectrum of N-doped TiO2 rutile supported by experimental findings.

A kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) model for the simulation of the coarsening of nanoporous metals is developed and demonstrated. The model treats surface evolution through the mechanism of surface diffusion by following atoms hopping between sites on an FCC lattice. Using a generic model for event energy barriers, we are able to demonstrate trends in the simulation and show that at high temperatures, coarsening follows approximately the scaling law predicted by continuum surface diffusion theory; the behavior is less clear at low temperatures. By selecting event energies to model palladium we show that we are able to reach temperatures and time scales that have relevance to experiments and applications.

Using atomic-scale Molecular Dynamics (MD) and energy minimization techniques in conjunction with semi-empirical MM3 potential energy functions, we consider the adsorption of a C60 molecule on a series of hypothetical pentacene structures that vary only in the tilt of the angle that the short axis of the pentacene molecules makes with the underlying surface (the long axis lying essentially flat, as on a metal substrate). Important relationships were discovered between the angle adopted by the short axis of pentacene on the surface, φ1, and the adsorption and diffusion characteristics of C60. Static energy calculations show that there is a transition of the deepest energy minima from between the pentacene rows at low values of φ1 to within the rows at high values of φ1, where φ1 is the angle the pentacene short axis makes with the surface. MD confirms this trend by the predominant residence locations at the extreme φ1 values. Furthermore, MD results suggest that the C60 traverses the pentacene surface in the east-west direction for lower φ1 values (φ1 ≤ 40°) and in the north-south direction for higher φ1 values (φ1 ≥ 70°). Taking both static and dynamic results together, the most favorable tilt angles for mono-directional nanowire growth should occur between 70° and 80° off-normal.