Nanometer effect promoting arsenic removal on α-MnO₂ nano-surface in aqueous solution: DFT+U research

The nanometer effect in the process of arsenic ions removal on α-MnO₂ nano-surface is studied by the first-principle method through microfacet models. Several parameters, such as adhesion energy, electrostatic potential, and Mulliken population were calculated to illuminate the internal mechanism. The results show that the adsorption energies of As(OH)₃ molecules on MnO₂[(100×110)] nanostructure are smaller than that on the bulk surface with the same concentration, which means the nanometer effect is beneficial to enhance the adsorption ability of MnO₂ nano-surface. In an aqueous solution, there exist two possible removal ways of As ions. One is the direct reaction of As(OH)₃→As(OH)₆^-, which occurs both in bulk surface and nano-surface. However, to nanomaterials, there exists another removal way of As(OH)₃→As(OH)₄→As(OH)₆^- through an intermediate As(OH)₄ molecule produced by nanometer effect. Furthermore the smaller electrostatic potential of As ions on [(100×110)] nano-surface is beneficial to enhance the removal capability of As ions. Then the reason why MnO₂ nanomaterials have better catalytic activity than the bulk materials is originated from its much less adhesion energy, much more removal ways, and much smaller electrostatic potential. So this research provides a detailed understanding of the removal capability of toxic ions influenced by a nanometer effect.