AbstractThe 150th anniversary of the periodic table of elements highlights its tremendous role in chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy, philosophy, and engineering as a shining scientific breakthrough, shedding light on the fundamental laws of nature. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are multidisciplinary, focusing on nanoscale materials and processes, in which a variety of elements are used and single atoms are often manipulated. In this Perspective, we present a new viewpoint on what the renown periodic table can offer to researchers working on nanomaterials.
The United Nations General Assembly decreed 2019 as the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in an effort to highlight the importance of the periodic table as one of the most influential discoveries in modern science. The periodic table, created 150 years ago, is of fundamental importance for various branches of chemistry, physics, and biology as well as a powerful and precise tool for predictable design of innovative chemical compounds and materials.(1) Different elements have played critical roles in different periods of human activities, with Si being a key element, at present. However, the nanotechnology age has brought different elements into the limelight and transformed their roles in science and technology. We briefly discuss those elements and their applications in nanomaterials in this Perspective.The periodic table, created 150 years ago, is of fundamental importance for various branches of chemistry, physics, and biology as well as a powerful and precise tool for predictable design of innovative chemical compounds and materials.Energy, Information, and Light. s- and p-Block Elements as the Gems of Nanotechnology
The most in demand and useful nanotechnological elements are concentrated in the s- and p-blocks (Figure 1) with predominant nanoelements being nonmetals C, N, O, and Si in the p-block and H and Li in the s-block. The main chemical features of light alkaline s-elements include a low ionization potential for the external s electron, resulting in single-charged cations, which have small radii demonstrating high diffusivity in electrolytes and membranes. Also, most s-elements form ionic compounds and are highly reactive in their metallic state. These features make Li the modern “gold” in electrochemical energetics.(2,3) Similarly, H can be used in “proton-based” low-temperature fuel cells, forming a huge domain for hydrogen-based alternative energetics and water-splitting systems.(2,4) Note that H, along with C and O, constitute many biologically related compounds and sensor systems; hydrogen-bonding enables self-assembly of metallo-organic frameworks and supramolecular compounds.(5) Known attempts to replace Li with Na have not yet been successful but remain promising: Increases of both ionic radius and weight for Na retain the possibility of constructing Na-ion batteries and supercapacitors and Na superionic conductor (NASICON) superionics.(6) Potassium, which is larger and heavier than Na and Li, is less attractive for the same applications; however, K, Rb, and Cs ions are useful in other applications, such as templating for MnO2 molecular octahedral sieves and also for superconductive fullerides.(7) The other s-elements play minor roles in nanotechnologies, serving as needed counterparts in different ionic compounds. For example, Ca is used in biomineralization and mesocrystal growth(8) and Mg forms piesoelectrics and alumosilicate minerals with structural nanocells and is used in the form of light alloys for hydrogen storage.
Figure 1
Figure
1. Frequency of usage of chemical elements of the periodic table in
nanotechnology. The plot is drawn using expert opinions and analysis of ACS Nano
publications; higher neon glow bars correlate with the elements’
contribution to the nanotechnology field; green cells denote
radioactivity; and the f-element families are not shown, they are marked
with “La” and “Ac”.
...MUCH MOREAtomic number growth in table periods results in the compaction of the atomic radii and an increase of ionization potential. Also, p-electrons come into play in the second period of the table of elements, leading to the formation of strong, oriented covalent bonds for most compounds of B, C, N, and O and anion formations for electronegative O and F. p-Electrons lead to conjugated π-bonds in addition to σ-bonding, and this new ability leads to a large number of inorganic polymers. As a result, various one-, two-, and three-dimensional (1D, 2D, 3D) nanomaterials are formed for B, C, and N, including fullerenes, graphene- or BN-mimicking analogues, nanotubes, MXenes, C3N4, nanodiamonds, etc. This group is the largest and fastest growing class of nanomaterials initiated through the nanotechnology revolution and the related meteoric rise of nanotechnological architectures used in the creation of supercapacitors, batteries, molecular electronics, fuel cells, sensors, and advanced construction materials.(3,7,9−16) Oxygen, being the most active oxidizing agent of the surrounding environment, plays a generalized role in this group: It forms a number of stable solid phases with different metals and drastically adjusts the physical and chemical properties of derived oxide nanoparticles.AluminumAs an example of nanotechnologically vital compounds between p-metals and p-nonmetals, various forms of aluminum oxide are used in a wide range of applications, including anodic alumina, 1D photonic crystals, porous ceramic membranes, superionics, and mesoporous systems.(17) In these materials, O and Al form a stable crystal lattice with bonds that are intermediate between purely ionic and covalent. Heavier analogues, such as In and Ga (eka-aluminum by D. Mendeleev), enter different nanotechnological niches such as transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) conductors, semiconducting light-emitting diodes (LEDs), quantum dots (GaN, InP), and the preparation of nanostructures by focused ion beams (see Figure 2, for example).(18−20)
HT: nanowerk
The Periodic Table of Elements in the age of nanotechnology
