The crossing of two electronic potential surfaces (a conical intersection) should result in geometric phase effects even for molecular processes confined to the lower surface. However, recent quantum simulations of the hydrogen exchange reaction (H + H2 --> H2 + H) have predicted a cancellation in such effects when product distributions are integrated over all scattering angles. We used a simple topological argument to extract reaction paths with different senses from a nuclear wave function that encircles a conical intersection. In the hydrogen-exchange reaction, these senses correspond to paths that cross one or two transition states. These two sets of paths scatter their products into different regions of space, which causes the cancellation in geometric phase effects. The analysis should generalize to other direct reactions.

We report quantum wave-packet calculations on the H+H(2) reaction, aimed at resolving the controversy over whether geometric phase (GP) effects can be observed in this reaction. Two sets of calculations are reported of the state-to-state reaction probabilities, and integral and differential cross sections (ICSs and DCSs). One set includes the GP using the vector potential approach of Mead and Truhlar; the other set neglects the phase. We obtain unequivocal agreement with recent results of Kendrick [J. Phys. Chem. A 107, 6739 (2003)], predicting GP effects in the state-to-state reaction probabilities, which cancel exactly on summing the partial waves to yield the ICS. Our results therefore contradict those of Kuppermann and Wu [Chem. Phys. Lett. 349 537 (2001)], which predicted pronounced GP effects in the cross sections. We also agree with Kendrick in predicting that there are no significant GP effects in the full DCS at energies below 1.8 eV, and in the partial (0

The widespread adoption of hydrogen as an energy carrier could bring significant benefits, but only if a number of currently intractable problems can be overcome. Not the least of these is the problem of storage, particularly when aimed at use onboard light-vehicles. The aim of this overview is to look in depth at a number of areas linked by the recently concluded HYDROGEN research network, representing an intentionally multi-faceted selection with the goal of advancing the field on a number of fronts simultaneously. For the general reader we provide a concise outline of the main approaches to storing hydrogen before moving on to detailed reviews of recent research in the solid chemical storage of hydrogen, and so provide an entry point for the interested reader on these diverse topics. The subjects covered include: the mechanisms of Ti catalysis in alanates; the kinetics of the borohydrides and the resulting limitations; novel transition metal catalysts for use with complex hydrides; less common borohydrides; protic-hydridic stores; metal ammines and novel approaches to nano-confined metal hydrides.

Using density functional theory, we study H 2 dissociation on Ti/Al(100) alloy surfaces, modeled by different Ti coverages varying from 1/4 to 1 monolayer. The minimum barrier height for H 2 dissociation depends on the specific Ti coverage on the Al surface. In view of experimental information on Ti in hydrogenated and dehydrogenated NaAlH 4 , the most realistic model promoting H 2 dissociation is found to be the (100) surface of Al covered by one monolayer of Ti in a c(2 × 2) structure, with Ti atoms in the first and third layers. This model has a late dissociation barrier with a height of only 0.23 eV, preceded by a deep molecular chemisorption well with a well depth of 0.45 eV. The projected density of states analysis provides a molecular orbital view in which the barrierless approach to the molecular chemisorption well is mainly explained by an occupiedvirtual attraction between the H 2 σ g and Ti 3d z 2 orbitals. The barrier separating the molecular chemisorption well and the dissociated state can be understood as resulting from a competition between increasing overlap of the H 2 σ u and Ti 3d xz orbitals and decreasing overlap of the H 2 σ g and Ti 3d z 2 orbitals.

A recent puzzle in nonadiabatic quantum dynamics is that geometric phase (GP) effects are present in the state-to-state opacity functions of the hydrogen-exchange reaction, but cancel out in the state-to-state integral cross sections (ICSs). Here the authors explain this result by using topology to separate the scattering amplitudes into contributions from Feynman paths that loop in opposite senses around the conical intersection. The clockwise-looping paths pass over one transition state (1-TS) and scatter into positive deflection angles; the counterclockwise-looping paths pass over two transition states (2-TS) and scatter into negative deflection angles. The interference between the 1-TS and 2-TS paths thus integrates to a very small value, which cancels the GP effects in the ICS. Quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations reproduce the scattering of the 1-TS and 2-TS paths into positive and negative deflection angles and show that the 2-TS paths describe a direct insertion mechanism. The inserting atom follows a highly constrained "S-bend" path, which allows it to avoid both the other atoms and the conical intersection and forces the product diatom to scatter into high rotational states. By contrast, the quantum 2-TS paths scatter into a mainly statistical distribution of rotational states, so that the quantum 2-TS total ICS is roughly twice the QCT ICS at 2.3 eV total energy. This suggests that the S-bend constraint is relaxed by tunneling in the quantum system. These findings on H+H(2) suggest that similar cancellations or reductions in GP effects are likely in many other reactions.

The fragmentation dynamics of Ar−HCl following ultraviolet photoexcitation is studied both classically and by an exact wave packet calculation. The focus of the analysis is on the partial fragmentation pathway Ar−HCl + hν → H + Ar−Cl. The results suggest that there is a competition between two different and simultaneous dissociation mechanisms of hydrogen, namely, direct dissociation and indirect dissociation involving a collision between H and Ar. These two dissociation mechanisms populate different states of partial fragmentation and total fragmentation (into H + Ar + Cl), which interfere upon the H/Ar collision. A global interpretation of the photolysis process based on the interference between the two types of dissociation and consistent with all the quantum results found is proposed. Such an interpretation appears to be general for the UV photolysis of a wide variety of hydrogen-bonded clusters. A means to control the interference mechanism in order to enhance the yield of a specific fragmentation pathway is suggested.

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Based on a slab model of H 2 dissociation on a c(2 × 2) structure with Ti atoms in the first and third layers of Al(100), a six-dimensional (6D) potential energy surface (PES) has been built. In this PES, a molecular adsorption well with a depth of 0.45 eV is present in front of a barrier of height 0.13 eV. Using this PES, H 2 dissociation probabilities are calculated by the classical trajectory (CT), the quasiclassical trajectory (QCT), and the time-dependent wave-packet (TDWP) method. The QCT study shows that trajectories can be trapped by the molecular adsorption well. Higher incident energy can lead to direct H 2 dissociation. Vibrational pre-excitation is the most efficient way to promote direct dissociation without trapping. We find that both rotational and vibrational excitation have efficacies close to 1.0 in the entire range of incident energies investigated, which supports the randomization in the initial conditions making the reaction rate solely dependent on the total (internal and translational) energy. The H 2 dissociation probabilities from quantum dynamics are in reasonable agreement with the QCT results in the energy range 50-200 meV, except for some fluctuations. However, the TDWP results considerably exceed the QCT results in the energy range 200-850 meV. The CT reaction probabilities are too low compared with the quantum dynamical results.