Importance of Nuclear Quantum Effects on Aqueous Electrolyte Transport under Confinement in Ti3C2MXenes

Karthik Ganeshan, Rabi Khanal, Murali Gopal Muraleedharan, Matti Hellström, Paul R.C. Kent, Stephan Irle, Adri C.T. Van Duin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Protons display a high chemical activity and strongly affect the charge storage capability in confined interlayer spaces of two-dimensional (2D) materials. As such, an accurate representation of proton dynamics under confinement is important for understanding and predicting charge storage dynamics in these materials. While often ignored in atomistic-scale simulations, nuclear quantum effects (NQEs), e.g., tunneling, can be significant under confinement even at room temperature. Using the thermostatted ring polymer molecular dynamics implementation of path integral molecular dynamics (PIMD) in conjunction with the ReaxFF force field, density functional tight binding (DFTB), and NequIP neural network potential simulations, we investigate the role of NQEs on proton and water transport in bulk water and aqueous electrolytes under confinement in Ti3C2 MXenes. Although overall NQEs are relatively small, especially in bulk, we find that they can alter both quantitative values and qualitative trends on both proton transport and water self-diffusion under confinement relative to classical MD predictions. Therefore, our results suggest the need for NQEs to be considered to simulate aqueous systems under confinement for both qualitative and quantitative accuracy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6920-6931
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Chemical Theory and Computation
Volume18
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 8 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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