KCl CLUSTERS ANSWERS SUMMARY



2000 Jan 29
 Hello, here is the summary of answers to my query about KCl clusters.
 Thanks very much to all who replied. I hope I included all responses.
 [#1--#9, below]
   E. Lewars
 ==============
 THE QUESTION
 2000 Jan 18
 Hello,
         A colleague in my Department has looked at the mass spectra of
 clusters
 consisting of one K+ surrounded by several KCl molecules (or ion-pairs,
 if you prefer), and clusters of one Cl- surounded by several KCl
 molecules (this latter with _negative_-ion mass spec). I think these can
 be thought of as K+ solvated with KCl, and Cl- solvated with KCl. He's
 found that some clusters are particularly prominent, as if there were
 certain magic numbers of stable KCl "solvent" molecules (a bit
 reminiscent of prominent clusters in Cn mixtures, where a big C60 peak
 led to the hypothesis of buckminsterfullerene).
 QUESTION:
 Is there a program that will handle from a few up to about 100 KCl
 molecules plus a K+ or Cl- ion? Please note that these clusters may not
 be simple periodic systems like a KCl crystal. I don't know if they can
 even be viewed as a doped KCl crystal. We are looking for a
 rationalization of the fact that clusters of certain sizes seem to be
 favored.
   Thanks
     E. Lewars
 ==========
 =========
 THE ANSWERS
 #1
 Dear E. Lewars,
 Regarding your question about clusters made up from ionic salts:
 I have been personally involved in the theoretical modelling of such
 clusters
 with an ab initio yet quite simple methodology. Rather than explaining
 myself
 in this mail, I think it is better if you have a look at our recent
 papers:
 "Theoretical Study of Small (NaI)n Clusters"
 Andres Aguado et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 101, 5944-5950 (1997).
 "Structural and Electronic Properties of Smalll Neutral (MgO)n
 Clusters"
 Eduardo de la Puente et al. Phys. Rev. B 56, 7606-7614 (1997).
 "Structure and Bonding in Small Neutral Alcali Halide Clusters"
 Andres Aguado et al. Phys. Rev. B 56, 15353-15360 (1997).
 "Ab initio Calculations of Structures and Stabilities of (NaI)nNa+ and
  (CsI)nCs+ Cluster Ions"
 Andres Aguado et al. Phys. Rev. B 58, 9972-9979 (1998).
 "Structures and Stabilities of Doubly-Charged (MgO)nMg2+ (n=1-29)
  Cluster Ions"
 Andres Aguado et al. J. Chem. Phys. 110, 4788-4796 (1999).
 The two last ones are perhaps the most interesting to you as the
 clusters
 considered have the composition with an extra ion you mention in your
 mail.
 In brief, the main aproximation of the model (that makes it faster than
 others
 electronic-structure methods) is the neglect of the polarization forces.
 This
 can be a quite reasonable assumption for alkali halides if you don't
 look for
 very thin details. However, it is not a good assumption at all for
 oxides, so
 in the last paper we included such terms semiempirically.
 The method we employ is called the PI method, and is useful for studying
 ionic materials, both crystals (pure or doped) and clusters. You'll find
 references to the original works with the PI model in our works. If the
 field of doped crystals is interesting to you, you may have a look to
 the
 following work:
 "Lattice Distortions around a Tl+ Impurity in NaI:Tl+ and CsI:Tl+
 Scintillators:
 An ab initio study involving Large Active Clusters"
 Andres Aguado et al. Phys. Rev. B 58, 11964-11969 (1998).
 "Calculations of the Band Gap Energy and Study of Cross Luminescence
 in Alkaline-Earth Dihalide Crystals"
 Andres Aguado et al. J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 68, 2829 (1999).
 Hope this helps. The method is quite able to manage with clusters of
 about
 100 atoms if you do not pretend to perform molecular dynamics
 simulations,
 but just static calculations. To perform dynamical calculations, tou
 should
 turn to parameterized pair potential models, from which those of Paul
 Madden
 are the most accurate known to me up to date.
 Best regards,
 Andres Aguado.
 --Date:
         Tue, 18 Jan 2000 08:19:11 +0100
   From:
         Andres Aguado <aguado at.at jmlopez.fam.cie.uva.es>
 =========
 #2
 This has already been done, at least for (NaCl)_n: cf. the Cambridge
 Cluster
 Database; in this case:
    http://brian.ch.cam.ac.uk/~jon/structures/NaCl.html
 >From a suitable plot of the cohesive energies given there, you should be
 able to get a first idea about "magic numbers", up to and including
 n=35.
 For programs that can handle this type of problem, given a suitable
 model potential, cf. the work of the CCD authors (Doye, Wales, et al.),
 or alternatively my work, cf.
    http://www.theochem.uni-stuttgart.de/~hartke
 If the above mentioned NaCl results are not yet sufficient for you, and
 if
 you want to go beyond n=35, I would be interested in a collaboration on
 this
 project. Just contact me at
    hartke at.at theochem.uni-stuttgart.de
 In contrast to the CCD authors, I have succeeded in treating the global
 cluster
 geometry optimization problem also on the DFT and ab-initio levels, see
 the
 refs. given on my home page above (although, obviously, this can be done
 only for considerably smaller systems...).
 I know of only one other group attempting a similar approach, albeit not
 for
 geometry optimization but for MD: Novaro et al., J.Chem.Phys. 109 (1998)
 2176.
 Bernd Hartke
 --
 PD Dr. Bernd Hartke               e-mail:
 hartke at.at theochem.uni-stuttgart.de
 Dep. of Theoretical Chemistry     e-mail:
 bernd.hartke at.at rus.uni-stuttgart.de
 University of Stuttgart
 http://www.theochem.uni-stuttgart.de/~hartke
 Pfaffenwaldring 55                Phone: +49-711-685-4409
 70569 Stuttgart                   FAX:   +49-711-685-4442
 GERMANY
 =============
 #3
 Just look at my web page, the address is below.
 On Jan 20, 12:07pm, Errol Lewars wrote:
 > Subject: Re: Clusters
 > Donald E. Williams wrote:
 > >
 > > Mpa/mpg can handle cluster energy minimization without assuming any
 symmetry.
 > >  You have to provide the nonbonded energy functions.
 > >
 > > --
 > > Dr. Donald E. Williams          email:dew01 at.at
 xray5.chem.louisville.edu
 > > Department of Chemistry         http://www.louisville.edu/~dewill01
 > > University of Louisville        phone:502-852-5975
 > > Louisville, KY 40292            fax:  502-852-8149
 >
 > ====
 > Hello,
 >
 > Thank you for your reply. I'll see if I can track down mpa/mpg, which i
 > guess are molecular mechanics-type (force field) programs.
 >
 > EL
 > ====
 >-- End of excerpt from Errol Lewars
 --
 Dr. Donald E. Williams          email:dew01 at.at xray5.chem.louisville.edu
 Department of Chemistry         http://www.louisville.edu/~dewill01
 University of Louisville        phone:502-852-5975
 Louisville, KY 40292            fax:  502-852-8149
 ======
 #4
 Before spending a lot of time on this calculation, which would be
 interesting, and may I think already be in the literature, note that
 these
 magic clusters appear to be a kinetic rather than thermodynamic effect
 in
 the ms of alkali halide cluster ions, both +ve and -ve mass spectra.
 They
 are instrument geometry and size and accelerating voltage dependant in
 magnetic instruments --- i.e. deppend on time available for
 equilibration.
 Prof. Jack M. Miller,
 Associate Vice-President, Research and
 Dean of Graduate Studies,
 Professor of Chemistry,
 Brock University,
 St. Catharines, Ont.,
 Canada, L2S 3A1.
 Phone (905) 688 5550, ext 3789
 FAX   (905) 682 2277
 e-mail jmiller at.at brocku.ca
 http://chemiris.labs.brocku.ca/~chemweb/faculty/miller/
 =====
 #5
 I cannot provide immediate information regarding calc-programs, but
 these
 magic numbers effects are well-known for metallic clusters (of
 comparable
 size). You might look up what these people are using to predict/explain
 them (e.g. for Na_n or K_n).
 -- Jochen
         Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Institut für Physikalische Chemie
 I
         Universitätsstr. 1, Geb. 26.43.02.29, 40225 Düsseldorf,
 Germany
 phone 02118113681 fax 02118115195  --
 www-public.rz.uni-duesseldorf.de/~jochen
 Jochen at.at Uni-Duesseldorf.de -- Jochen.Kuepper at.at FernUni-Hagen.de --
 Kuepper at.at ACM.org
 ==========
 #6
 Errol,
 What kind of simulation did you have in mind? Classical with empirical
 interactions? Gas-phase? I simulated gas-phase KCl clusters classically
 using a Born-Mayer potential, and I imagine simply adding one more
 ion would be trivial. However, I don't know if this empirical potential
 would work with a net charge or not.
 I unfortunately cannot get my hands on my old papers about KCl clusters
 (both neutral and charged). If memory of the literature serves, there
 will
 be several types of "magic" clusters with rocksalt structure, such as
 3x3x3
 or 5x5x5 arrangements of K and Cl in a cubic shape (and many other
 possible rectangular geometries) similar to the 2x2x2 and 4x4x4
 magic structures for neutral clusters. For anything over about
 10 ions, rocksalt structures should always give you the most
 stable energy, even for singly-charged clusters.
 These experiments remind me of similar, but more complicated,
 simulations of (KCl)_n + e-  using quantum path-integral methods
 to simulate the thermodynamic behavior of the free electron.
 Once again, rocksalt structures were often observed, with the
 electron occupying a "negative ion vacancy" (like an F-color center).
 Sometimes the electron was distributed on the surface, however.
 Let me know if these ideas are of interest to you!
 -- Keith
 ---------------------------------------------------------------
 Keith Ball, Dill Group
 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
 University of California at San Francisco
 3333 California Street, Suite 415
 San Francisco, CA 94118-1944
  phone: (415) 476-8910         fax: (415) 502-4222
 e-mail: kdb at.at maxwell.ucsf.edu  http://rainbow.uchicago.edu/~kdb1
 ---------------------------------------------------------------
 ================
 #7
 Maybe I am saying something stupid, but Is it a solid cluster? If it was
 solid, and maybe even if not, it would be interesting if there is a
 structural model that could account for this, more than the number of
 molecules (like in the C60) the possible structures accompanying the
 number. At this respect, I would initially, advice, classical mechanic
 codes since this is are ionic ions parametrized in literature and the
 gain
 in speed would allow the calculation of many geometrical configurations
 in
 a reasonable time, i.e. 200 atoms it is not an issue for these codes. As
 well, as the use of some structure determination experimental
 techniques,
 neutron Diffraction, for instance.
         I hope it helps, regards
                 Manuel
 ps Sorry if I say some nonsense, but you don't give much information in
 the mail, and I am still under the flu influence, :-)
 [All suggestions are very welcome--EL]
 ___________________________________________________________________
 Manuel Melle Franco  -Ph.D. Student-
 Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali
 Universita' degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
 via Cozzi, 53 - 20125 Milano ITALY
 Tel. Office (+39)-02-6448 5232
 Tel. Home   (+39)-02-6610 2542
 Fax.        (+39)-02-6448 5403
 ___________________________________________________________________
 ========
 #8
  Dear Dr. Lewars,
       I think that you need to do statistical mechanical simulation for
 your
  system since there would be enormous number of isomers for such a large
  system. Depending upon the temperature of the experiment several
 isomers
  might have contributed to the specrtra ( for a similar problem in the
 case
  of Si-C clusters ( even with a very small system compared to yours)
 see,
  JPC A, 103, 1999, 6442).
                Pradipta
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  You may my glories and my state dispose,
  But not my griefs; still am I king of those.
                 -- William Shakespeare, "Richard II"
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #9
 Dear Dr. Lewars,
 the mono-anionic Clusters are known. Have a look into
 T.P. Martin, Physics Reports 95, 167 (1983)
 However, there is currently a search for small di-anions,
 and so far the "smallest" detected species are BeF4(2-) and
 MgF4(2-). I would be very interested to know if your
 colleague sees any evidence for KCl3(2-) or K2Cl4(2-).
 Sincerely yours,
 Thomas Sommerfeld
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Dr. Thomas Sommerfeld                                   Tel:   +49 6221
 545264
 Theoretische Chemie, Universitaet Heidelberg            Fax:   +49 6221
 545221
 Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
 Email: Thomas.Sommerfeld at.at urz.uni-heidelberg.de
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