Comparison of ReaxFF, DFTB, and DFT for phenolic pyrolysis. 1. Molecular dynamics simulations

A systematic comparison of atomistic modeling methods including density functional theory (DFT), the self-consistent charge density-functional tight-binding (SCC-DFTB), and ReaxFF is presented for simulating the initial stages of phenolic polymer pyrolysis. A phenolic polymer system is simulated for several hundred picoseconds within a temperature range of 2500 to 3500 K. The time evolution of major pyrolysis products including small-molecule species and char is examined. Two temperature zones are observed which demark cross-linking versus fragmentation. The dominant chemical products for all methods are similar, but the yields for each product differ. At 3500 K, DFTB overestimates CO production (300-400%) and underestimates free H (~30%) and small C(m)H(n)O molecules (~70%) compared with DFT. At 3500 K, ReaxFF underestimates free H (~60%) and fused carbon rings (~70%) relative to DFT. Heterocyclic oxygen-containing five- and six-membered carbon rings are observed at 2500 K. Formation mechanisms for H2O, CO, and char are discussed. Additional calculations using a semiclassical method for incorporating quantum nuclear energies of molecules were also performed. These results suggest that chemical equilibrium can be affected by quantum nuclear effects at temperatures of 2500 K and below. Pyrolysis reaction mechanisms and energetics are examined in detail in a companion manuscript.