We have investigated and compared the ability of numerical and Gaussian-type basis sets combined with density functional theory (DFT) to accurately describe the geometries, binding energies, and electronic properties of aluminum clusters, Al12XHn (X = Al, Si; n = 0, 1, 2). DFT results are compared against high-level benchmark calculations and experimental data where available. Properties compared include geometries, binding energies, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and HOMO-LUMO gaps. Generally, the PBE functional with the double numerical basis set with polarization (DNP) performs very well against experiment and the analytical basis sets for considerably less computational expense.

We have investigated axial interactions of H(2) with Al(12)X (X = Mg, Al, and Si) clusters and found that homolytic dissociation leading to Al(12)XH and H atom proceeds without a barrier but is an extremely endothermic process. The calculated difference in energy of the addition and abstraction reactions indicates that any Al(12)X-based hydrogen storage technology that involves predissociation of H(2) will be limited by the competing processes. We have also discovered that while there is a modest barrier for dissociation of H(2) on a single Al(12)Mg cluster to give the dihydride, the process occurs spontaneously between two closely spaced Al(12)Mg clusters, resulting in the formation of two Al(12)MgH species. Doping of the cluster with an electropositive atom (Mg) enables the transfer of electron density to the Al cage, which enhances H(2) dissociation. The information gained can contribute to the design of novel solid-state materials made of doped Al clusters, which may ultimately be suitable for catalytic processes.

In this study we use density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the properties and H adsorption characteristics of structural isomers of the magnesium-doped aluminum cluster, Al(12)Mg. Our results show that the exohedral structure (exo-MgAl(12)) is significantly lower in energy (1.59 eV) than the endohedral structure (endo-Al(12)Mg); however, the exohedral structure shows significant structural distortion. Our calculations demonstrate that H binds favorably to both exohedral and endohedral structures. Generally, binding energies for H to both clusters range from approximately 2.3 to 2.5 eV with atop positions slightly favored, except for addition directly to the exohedral Mg atom, where the binding energy drops to 1.92 eV. We include a DFT molecular dynamics study of the endo-Al(12)Mg and endo-Al(12)MgH clusters which revealed the isomerization to the respective exostructures at finite temperatures (100-600 K). Interestingly, hydrogen adsorption appears to enhance the isomerization.

We have used density functional theory to investigate how Al(13) cluster dimers can be formed with or without a bridging hydrogen. We have identified several stable dimers in which 0, 1, or 2 hydrogen atoms link two bare clusters together. Each of these structures can adsorb further H atoms in atop sites on the surface of the dimer. Additional dimers were identified with 3 and 4 H atoms linking the clusters but these are only stable in the multihydrogenated form. Reaction profiles for the formation of these dimers from a range of cluster and H atom combinations indicate that the dimer structures are energetically favored over the isolated clusters. This observation may have significant implications for the design of cluster-assembled materials.