Edge energy, ionic lattice

The London forces are predominant in the adsorption of gases on solid substances such as carbon. In the adsorption on ionic lattices such as salt layers (CaF2 in electric lamps), silicic acid and aluminium oxide the adsorption of the first layer however depends mainly on polarization by electrostatic forces, in which isolated ions, corners and edges will give a larger heat of adsorption than a perfect crystal surface. In adsorption in multimolecular layers the Van der Waals-London energy is, however, predominant as in the cohesion energy. 

The MEG model has been extensively used to determine lattice energies and interionic equilibrium distances in ionic solids (oxides, hydroxides, and fluorides Mackrodt and Stewart, 1979 Tossell, 1981) and defect formation energies (Mack-rodt and Stewart, 1979). Table 1.21 compares the lattice energies and cell edges of various oxides obtained by MEG treatment with experimental values. 

In the discussion of atomistic aspects of electrodepKJsition of metals in Section 6.8 it was shown that in electrodeposition the transfer of a metal ion M"+ from the solution into the ionic metal lattice in the electrodeposition process may proceed via one of two mechanisms (1) a direct mechanism in which ion transfer takes place on a kink site of a step edge or on any site on the step edge (any growth site) or (2) the terrace-site ion mechanism. In the terrace-site transfer mechanism a metal ion is transferred from the solution (OHP) to the flat face of the terrace region. At this position the metal ion is in an adion state and is weakly bound to the crystal lattice. From this position it diffuses onto the surface, seeking a position with lower potential energy. The final position is a kink site. 

We normally define the energy level of electrons in a solid in terms of the Fermi level, eF, which is essentially equivalent to the electrochemical potential of electrons in the solid. In the case of metals, the Fermi level is equal to the highest occupied level of electrons in the partially filled frontier band. In the case of semiconductors of covalent and ionic solids, by contrast, the Fermi level is situated within the band gap where no electron levels are available except for localized ones. A semiconductor is either n-type or p-type, depending on its impurities and lattice defects. For n-type semiconductors, the Fermi level is located close to the conduction band edge, while it is located close to the valence band edge for p-type semiconductors. For examples, a zinc oxide containing indium as donor impurities is an n-type semiconductor, and a nickel oxide containing nickel ion vacancies, which accept electrons, makes a p-type semiconductor. In semiconductors, impurities and lattice defects that donate electrons introduce freely mobile electrons in the conduction band, and those that accept electrons leave mobile holes (electron vacancies) in the valence band. Both the conduction band electrons and the valence band holes contribute to electronic conduction in semiconductors. 

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