Angew. Chem. Int. Edit.: Towards Unveiling the Exact Molecular Structure of Amorphous Red Phosphorus by Single-molecule Studies

Towards Unveiling the Exact Molecular Structure of Amorphous Red Phosphorus by Single-molecule Studies

Authors:

Song Zhang,^a,+ Hu‐jun Qian,^b,+ Zhonghua Liu,^c Hongyu Ju,^a Zhong‐yuan Lu,^b Haiming Zhang,^c Lifeng Chi,^c,* Shuxun Cui^a,*

Institutions:

^a Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China

^b State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, China

^c Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

Abstract:

Since the discovery of amorphous red phosphorus (a‐red P) in 1847, a number of possible structures of a-red P have been proposed. However, the exact molecular structure of a-red P is not determined yet due to the amorphous nature. Here in this study, we utilize several methods to investigate some basic properties of a-red P, which are helpful to determine the structure. The experimental results from scanning tunneling  microscopy (STM) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) confirm that a‐red P is a linear inorganic polymer with a broad molecular weight distribution. The theoretical single‐molecule elasticities of the possible a‐red P structures are obtained by quantum mechanical (QM) calculations. It is found that the experimental single‐molecule elasticity of a‐red P measured by single‐molecule AFM matches with the theoretical result of the zig‐zag ladder structure, indicating that a‐red P may adopt this structure. Although this conclusion needs further validation in the future, this fundamental study represents a helpful attempt to solve the long-lasting riddle of red phosphorus. It is expected that the strategy utilized in this work can be applied to study other inorganic polymers.

IF:

12.102

Link：

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anie.201811152