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Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Quantitative Hardness Measurement by Instrumented AFM-indentation
Published on: November 22, 2016
The hardness kernel as the basis for global and local reactivity indices
Miquel Torrent-Sucarrat1, Pedro Salvador, Miquel Solà
1Eenheid Algemene Chemie, Faculteit Wetenschappen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels, Belgium. mtorrent@vub.ac.be
This study enhances methods for calculating molecular hardness and Fukui functions. It introduces local and condensed atomic hardness, offering new descriptors for chemical reactivity in polyatomic molecules.
Area of Science:
- Computational Chemistry
- Quantum Chemistry
- Chemical Reactivity Theory
Background:
- Previous work established a hardness kernel approximation for global hardness in polyatomic molecules.
- Evaluating molecular hardness and reactivity descriptors is crucial in computational chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend previous work by improving models for hardness kernel and Fukui function evaluation.
- To analyze the concept of local hardness and introduce condensed atomic hardness.
- To examine the utility of condensed atomic hardness as a chemical reactivity descriptor.
Main Methods:
- Improved hardness kernel approximation.
- Detailed analysis of local hardness.
- Introduction and examination of condensed atomic hardness.
Main Results:
- Enhanced models for hardness kernel and Fukui function.
- First-time reporting of local hardness profiles with kinetic and exchange-correlation contributions for polyatomic molecules.
- Introduction of condensed atomic hardness as a novel descriptor.
Conclusions:
- The improved models provide a more accurate evaluation of molecular hardness and Fukui functions.
- Local and condensed atomic hardness offer valuable insights into chemical reactivity.
- Condensed atomic hardness shows promise as a useful descriptor for predicting chemical behavior.
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