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Growth and Redox Properties of Boron on Al(111) : Competing Affinities in the Case of Honeycomb AlB2

Biasin, Pietro ; Safari, Mandana ; Ghidorsi, Elena ; Baronio, Stefania ; Scardamaglia, Mattia LU ; Preobrajenski, Alexei B. LU ; Vinogradov, Nikolay A. LU orcid ; Sala, Alessandro ; Cepek, Cinzia and de Gironcoli, Stefano , et al. (2024) In ACS Nano
Abstract

The complexity of the geometric and electronic structure of boron allotropes is associated with the multicentric bonding character and the consequent B polymorphism. When growth is limited to two-dimensions (2D), the structural and electronic confinement yields the borophenes family, where the interaction with the templating substrate actually determines the stability of inequivalent boron phases. We report here a detailed study of the growth of the honeycomb AlB2 phase on Al(111), followed by an investigation of its oxidation and reduction properties. By means of a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we show that the structure of the B/Al interface is affected by the complex interplay between B, Al, and common... (More)

The complexity of the geometric and electronic structure of boron allotropes is associated with the multicentric bonding character and the consequent B polymorphism. When growth is limited to two-dimensions (2D), the structural and electronic confinement yields the borophenes family, where the interaction with the templating substrate actually determines the stability of inequivalent boron phases. We report here a detailed study of the growth of the honeycomb AlB2 phase on Al(111), followed by an investigation of its oxidation and reduction properties. By means of a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we show that the structure of the B/Al interface is affected by the complex interplay between B, Al, and common reactive agents like oxygen and hydrogen. While kinetic effects associated with diffusion and strain release influence the AlB2 growth in vacuo, Al, B, O, and H chemical affinities determine its redox behavior. Reduction with atomic hydrogen involves the B layer and yields an ordered honeycomb borophane H/AlB2 phase. Instead, oxidation takes place at the Al interface, giving origin to buried and 1D surface aluminum oxide phases.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
aluminum, boron oxide, borophane, borophene, honeycomb boron, oxidation, reduction
in
ACS Nano
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:38726650
  • scopus:85192807010
ISSN
1936-0851
DOI
10.1021/acsnano.3c09790
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
edf352ec-3545-428c-80a5-910569bbaea7
date added to LUP
2024-05-28 15:03:04
date last changed
2024-06-11 15:57:54
@article{edf352ec-3545-428c-80a5-910569bbaea7,
  abstract     = {{<p>The complexity of the geometric and electronic structure of boron allotropes is associated with the multicentric bonding character and the consequent B polymorphism. When growth is limited to two-dimensions (2D), the structural and electronic confinement yields the borophenes family, where the interaction with the templating substrate actually determines the stability of inequivalent boron phases. We report here a detailed study of the growth of the honeycomb AlB<sub>2</sub> phase on Al(111), followed by an investigation of its oxidation and reduction properties. By means of a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we show that the structure of the B/Al interface is affected by the complex interplay between B, Al, and common reactive agents like oxygen and hydrogen. While kinetic effects associated with diffusion and strain release influence the AlB<sub>2</sub> growth in vacuo, Al, B, O, and H chemical affinities determine its redox behavior. Reduction with atomic hydrogen involves the B layer and yields an ordered honeycomb borophane H/AlB<sub>2</sub> phase. Instead, oxidation takes place at the Al interface, giving origin to buried and 1D surface aluminum oxide phases.</p>}},
  author       = {{Biasin, Pietro and Safari, Mandana and Ghidorsi, Elena and Baronio, Stefania and Scardamaglia, Mattia and Preobrajenski, Alexei B. and Vinogradov, Nikolay A. and Sala, Alessandro and Cepek, Cinzia and de Gironcoli, Stefano and Baroni, Stefano and Vesselli, Erik}},
  issn         = {{1936-0851}},
  keywords     = {{aluminum; boron oxide; borophane; borophene; honeycomb boron; oxidation; reduction}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{ACS Nano}},
  title        = {{Growth and Redox Properties of Boron on Al(111) : Competing Affinities in the Case of Honeycomb AlB<sub>2</sub>}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c09790}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/acsnano.3c09790}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}