Ab initio computational investigation of physisorption of molecular hydrogen on achiral single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Using relatively approximated methods, physisorption of molecular hydrogen on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as a mechanism to develop hydrogen storage systems has been only partially investigated in literature. Here, we use ab initio molecular-orbital theory, at benchmark quality level, to provide a more complete description about the mentioned mechanism. Physisorption inside and outside achiral-armchair and zigzag-SWCNTs, in the range of diameters from about 6 A-chiral vectors (5,5) and (8,0)-to more than 30 A-chiral vectors (30,30) and (40,0)-was examined. Perpendicular, longitudinal, and transversal configurations, with the hydrogen molecule centered on an aromatic ring, were taken into account. SWCNTs were modeled as curved coronenelike (C24H12) graphene sheets. Local modeling strategies, using more complete basis sets for the adsorbate and for the nearest atoms to the adsorbate than for the lion's share of the substrate, at the Moller-Plesset second-order correlation level, were selected for numerical treatment. Basis-set superposition errors were corrected by means of the counterpoise method of Bois and Bernardi. It was found that physisorption of molecular hydrogen on SWCNTs would depend mainly on the diameter being virtually independent of the chirality. Lowest physisorption energies, up to 20% less than that on planar graphene, would be reached outside nanotubes in the range of diameters of 6-10 A. For hydrogen storage purposes, highest physisorption energies, up to 40% greater than that on planar graphene, but not more, would be reached inside nanotubes in the relatively narrow range of diameters of 10-20 A. Finally, for diameters from 20 A onwards physisorption of molecular hydrogen on SWCNTs would be in the range of +/-10% of that on planar graphene. To our knowledge, this would be the most complete and realistic theoretical investigation of the target physisorption mechanism to date.