Restricting Solvation to Two Dimensions: Soft Landing of Microsolvated Ions on Inert Surfaces

In an effort to scrutinize dimensional restriction effects on finite hydrogen-bonded networks, we deposit ion-doped water clusters by computational soft landing on a chemically inert supported xenon surface. In stark contrast to the much studied metal or metal oxide surfaces, the rare gas surface interacts only rather weakly and nondirectionally with these networks. Surprisingly, the strongly bound Na⁺-doped networks undergo very significant plastic deformations, whereas the weakly bound Cl^- counterparts barely change upon surface deposition. This counterintuitive finding is traced back to the significantly less favorable water-water interactions enforced by the cation, which results in an easier adaption to geometric restrictions, whereas H-bonding stabilizes the anionic clusters.