Surface energy molecular model

The total surface energy generally is larger than the surface free energy. It is frequently the more informative of the two quantities, or at least it is more easily related to molecular models. 

On this basis the porosity and surface composition of a number of silicas and zeolites were varied systematically to maximize retention of the isothizolinone structures. For the sake of clarity, data is represented here for only four silicas (Table 1) and three zeolites (Table 2). Silicas 1 and 3 differ in their pore dimensions, these being ca. 20 A and 180 A respectively. Silicas 2 and 4, their counterparts, have been calcined to optimise the number and distribution of isolated silanol sites. Zeolites 1 and 2 are the Na- and H- forms of zeolite-Y respectively. Zeolite 3 is the H-Y zeolite after subjecting to steam calcination, thereby substantially increasing the proportion of Si Al in the structure. The minimum pore dimensions of these materials were around 15 A, selected on the basis that energy-minimized structures obtained by molecular modelling predict the widest dimension of the bulkiest biocide (OIT) to be ca. 13 A, thereby allowing entry to the pore network. 

Molecular modeling work performed by Sasol researchers on fee cobalt (100) shows that increased coverage of 50% atomic carbon will induce a clock type reconstruction (Figure 4.3) similar to that observed for the classic case of Ni (100).28 The adsorption energy of the carbon is stabilized by 15 kJ/mol compared to the unreconstructed surface, resulting in a more stable surface.28 The reconstruction results in a shorter distance between the carbon and cobalt but also an increase in coordination of the cobalt atoms and, thus, fewer broken bonds. The barrier for the carbon-induced clock reconstruction was found to be very small (1 kJ/mol), which suggested that the process is not kinetically hindered. The... 

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