1.State Grid Shanxi Electric Power Research Institute,Taiyuan 030021,China
2.College of Electrical and Power Engineering,Taiyuan University of Technology,Taiyuan 030024,China
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文章历史+
Received
Accepted
Published
2025-06-13
2025-09-04
2026-03-28
Issue Date
2026-04-15
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摘要
有机液体储氢技术作为一种新兴的氢能储运手段,因其在常温常压下具有高安全性、易于运输和重复利用的优势,有望成为实现氢能大规模、低成本、远距离输运的重要技术路径。本文基于密度泛函理论(Density Functional Theory,DFT)计算,研究了FeTi⁺双金属阳离子催化甲基环己烷(Methylcyclohexane,MCH)脱氢反应的作用机理。计算中采用PBE0泛函,并引入DFT-D3色散校正,以提高计算精度。在双重态和六重态势能面上分别确定了中间体和过渡态的几何构型,并计算了相应的能量变化。研究结果表明,FeTi+催化MCH脱氢反应在2种自旋态下呈现出不同的反应路径和能量特征:在双重态路径中,第2个氢分子的脱除为反应的决速步骤,反应整体呈放热特征(-1.77 kcal/mol);而在六重态路径中,最后1个氢分子的脱除为决速步,整体反应略微吸热(+0.16 kcal/mol)。此外,借助波函数分析方法,对反应中涉及的化合物开展了态密度(Density of States,DOS)与自然电荷(Natural Population Analysis,NPA)分析,结合轨道贡献与电荷转移分析,揭示了反应的内在机理。本研究为理解过渡金属双原子催化剂在有机液体储氢体系中的作用机理提供了理论依据,并为后续催化剂设计提供了一定的参考。
Abstract
Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) have emerged as a promising technology for hydrogen storage and transportation, featuring high safety, facile handling, and good recyclability under ambient conditions. Among them, methylcyclohexane (MCH) has attracted considerable attention due to its high hydrogen content, stability, and well-established hydrogenation/dehydrogenation cycle. These advantages render LOHCs a potential solution for large-scale, low-cost, and long-distance hydrogen delivery in future energy systems. In this study, the reaction mechanism of methylcyclohexane (MCH) dehydrogenation catalyzed by the FeTi⁺ bimetallic cation was investigated using density functional theory (DFT). The PBE0 functional, combined with DFT-D3 dispersion correction, was employed to improve computational accuracy. The geometries of intermediates and transition states were optimized, and the corresponding energy profiles were obtained on both the doublet and sextet potential energy surfaces. The results reveal that the dehydrogenation process follows distinct pathways depending on the spin state. On the doublet surface, the removal of the second hydrogen molecule is identified as the rate-determining step, and the overall reaction is exothermic (-1.77 kcal/mol). In contrast, on the sextet surface, the final hydrogen elimination step is rate-determining, with a slightly endothermic overall reaction (+0.16 kcal/mol). To gain deeper insight into the catalytic mechanism, wavefunction-based analyses, including density of states (DOS) and natural population analysis (NPA), were conducted to elucidate the electronic structure and charge redistribution during the reaction. These results provide detailed mechanistic understanding of spin-state-dependent MCH dehydrogenation over FeTi⁺, and offers theoretical guidance for the rational design of efficient bimetallic catalysts in LOHC-based hydrogen storage technologies.
使用Multiwfn[21]波函数分析软件计算总态密度(Total Density of States,TDOS)和电子密度差(Electron Density Difference,EDD)[22]等参数。通过将结构分析与能量分析相结合,深入探讨每一步反应中反应物的结构变化和成断键情况,从而获得完整全面的反应机理。进一步计算各反应步骤的吉布斯自由能,绘制能垒曲线图,并确定最高能垒,明确反应决速步。
态密度(Density of States,DOS)描述了能量范围内电子态的分布,即每单位能量的电子态数量。在本研究体系中,Fe和Ti虽然同属Ⅷ族过渡金属,但其电负性和电子轨道填充状态存在差异:Fe的3d轨道接近半满,电子密度高,而Ti的d轨道电子较少,具有更强的电子接受能力。这种电子结构差异为两金属中心之间的轨道重叠与电子转移提供了条件。图5比较了FeTi+催化MCH反应中,双重态与六重态下α轨道与β轨道的DOS分布特征。Ti原子和Fe原子在HOMO轨道的构成中起主导作用,尤其是Ti原子的3d轨道和Fe原子的3d、4s轨道对电子密度分布贡献显著。不同自旋态下的TDOS(见图中黑色曲线)在能量分布上存在显著差异,认为是电子迁移行为的影响。综上所述,过渡金属的d轨道在成键与断键过程中发挥了主导作用。
2.3 气相反应中部分中间体与过渡态的自然电荷分析
自然电荷分析(Natural Population Analysis,NPA)作为目前采用较为广泛的原子电荷计算方法之一,能够通过对壳层电子数量的评估,揭示原子在其所处化学环境中的真实电子组态。如表1所示,在FeTi+催化MCH脱氢反应的基态路径中,原子电荷随着反应的进行发生了明显变化。在第1个脱氢反应中,TS1构型中C1电荷有所增加,H1电荷降低,这表明在第1个过渡态(TS1)中,电子从C1转移到H1,使H1脱离C1,形成第1个脱氢产物;C2在TS2中电荷增加,H2在TS2中电荷减少,类似地,电子从C2转移到H2,使H2脱离C2,完成第1个脱氢反应的第2步。上述过程也出现在第2个和第3个脱氢反应中,由此可以推断出:每个脱氢步骤中电荷变化显著的碳原子(C1、C2、C3、C4、C5、C6)是主要的反应中心,这些碳原子是与氢原子断键的关键位点。而氢原子(H1、H2、H3、H4、H5、D5)在脱氢过程中电荷减少,表明它们是反应中的活性位点,失去电子并脱离分子。这表明,电子由碳向氢发生迁移,从而推动C‒H键断裂和氢原子的游离。结合金属位点的电荷变化可知,Ti更倾向于接受电子,表现为电子富集,而Fe相对电子亏损,二者在双金属体系中形成了协同效应。Ti位点在氢原子的吸附中发挥作用,Fe位点则在氢分子脱附中提供稳定性。例如,在IM9→TS9过程中,H5电荷快速降低,而C5电荷明显增加,说明电子由C5转移至H5,促进氢原子的游离;而在IM10→TS10中,C5电荷进一步转移至金属中心,降低了过渡态的能垒。这些特征表明,FeTi⁺催化剂通过稳定过渡态、优化电子迁移通道,有效促进了MCH的脱氢过程。
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