Projects per year
Abstract
The microscopic motion of water is a central question, but gaining experimental information about the interfacial dynamics of water in fields such as catalysis, biophysics and nanotribology is challenging due to its ultrafast motion, and the complex interplay of inter-molecular and molecule-surface interactions. Here we present an experimental and computational study of the nanoscale-nanosecond motion of water at the surface of a topological insulator (TI), Bi2Te3. Understanding the chemistry and motion of molecules on TI surfaces, while considered a key to design and manufacturing for future applications, has hitherto been hardly addressed experimentally. By combining helium spin-echo spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, we are able to obtain a general insight into the diffusion of water on Bi2Te3. Instead of Brownian motion, we find an activated jump diffusion mechanism. Signatures of correlated motion suggest unusual repulsive interactions between the water molecules. From the lineshape broadening we determine the diffusion coefficient, the diffusion energy and the pre-exponential factor.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 278 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 14 Jan 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 14 Jan 2020 |
Keywords
- Topological insulator
- Diffusion coefficient
- Water sorption
- Density functional theory
- Spin echo experiments
- Friction
- Atom scattering
- Atom surface interaction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Chemistry(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Fields of Expertise
- Advanced Materials Science
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Dive into the research topics of 'Nanoscopic diffusion of water on a topological insulator'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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FWF - Material Dynamic - Surface dynamics of topological materials
1/01/17 → 30/06/21
Project: Research project
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