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DOI number:10.1038/s41467-019-12877-0

Affiliation of Author(s):扬州大学

Teaching and Research Group:物理化学

Journal:Nature Communications

Abstract:Despite their early experimental production and observation, the unambiguous molecular structures of metal-containing boron nitride (BN) nanocages still remain mysterious. It has been commonly assumed that this family of compounds has the metal atom confined inside the cage, just like their isoelectronic cousins, carbon metallofullerenes do. Here, we demonstrate that Ti(BN)n (𝑛 = 12–24) complexes have, unexpectedly, an exohedral structure instead of an endohedral one, which could be verified by collision-induced dissociation experiments. The predicted global minimum structures exhibit some common bonding features accounting for their high stability, and could be readily synthesized under typical conditions for generating BN nanoclusters. The Ti doping dramatically changes not only the cage topology, but the arrangement of B and N atoms, endowing the resultant compounds with potential for CO2 capture and nitrogen fixation. These findings may expand or alter the understanding of BN nanostructures functionalized with other transition metals.

First Author:Ruyi Li

Indexed by:SCI

Correspondence Author:Yang WANG

Volume:10

Page Number:4908

Translation or Not:no

Date of Publication:2019-10-28

Included Journals:SCI