The ab initio computational treatment of electrochemical systems requires an appropriate treatment of the solid/liquid interfaces. A fully quantum mechanical treatment of the interface is computationally demanding due to the large number of degrees of freedom involved. In this work, we develop a computationally efficient model where the electrode part of the interface is described at the density-functional theory (DFT) level, and the electrolyte part is represented through an implicit solvation model based on the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. We describe the implementation of the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation into the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package, a widely used DFT code, followed by validation and benchmarking of the method. To demonstrate the utility of the implicit electrolyte model, we apply it to study the surface energy of Cu crystal facets in an aqueous electrolyte as a function of applied electric potential. We show that the applied potential enables the control of the shape of nanocrystals from an octahedral to a truncated octahedral morphology with increasing potential.

A simple method for computing accurate density-dependent dispersion coefficients is presented. The dispersion coefficients are modeled by a generalized gradient-type approximation to Becke and Johnson's exchange hole dipole moment formalism. Our most cost-effective variant, based on a disjoint description of atoms in a molecule, gives mean absolute errors in the C₆ coefficients for 90 complexes below 10%. The inclusion of the missing long-range van der Waals interactions in density functionals using the derived coefficients in a pair wise correction leads to highly accurate typical noncovalent interaction energies.

Molecular chemisorption at a metal surface is a key step for many processes, such as catalysis, electrochemistry, surface treatment, tribology and friction. Modeling with density functional theory is largely used on these systems. From a detailed comparison with accurate micro-calorimetric data on ten systems (involving ethylene, cyclohexene, benzene, naphthalene, CO, O₂, H₂, methane, ethane), we study the accuracy, for chemisorption on Pt(111), of five exchange–correlation functionals including one generalized gradient approximation functional (PBE) and four functionals that take into account van der Waals interactions (optPBE-vdW, optB86b-vdW, BEEF-vdW, PBE-dDsC). If the functionals used provide very similar geometries and electronic structures, as shown by projected density of states, they give strikingly different results for the adsorption energy of molecules on Pt(111). Among the set of chemisorption data, the lowest mean absolute deviations (MAD) are obtained with the optPBE-vdW and PBE-dDsC functionals (∼0.2 eV) while PBE and optB86b-vdW give twice larger MAD (∼0.45 eV). BEEF-vdW is intermediate with a MAD of 0.33 eV. For laterally π-bound unsaturated hydrocarbons (cyclohexene, benzene, naphthalene) the PBE and the BEEF-vdW functionals are severally under-bound, while optPBE-vdW and PBE-dDsC provide a good match with experiments. Hence both the incorporation of van der Waals dispersive forces and the choice of the exchange functional have a key influence on the chemisorption energy. Vertically bound ethylidyne and CO are in contrast over-bound with all functionals, the best agreement being obtained with BEEF-vdW. None of the selected functionals hence provides a universally accurate treatment of chemisorption energies.

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) have made a significant impact on sustainable energy research in the fields of energy storage and conversion. Unlike short-term energy storage strategies (e.g. batteries and supercapacitors), catalytic conversion of simple molecules to value-added chemicals using renewable energy represents a more long-term solution to the world's energy crisis. Significant advances in density functional theory and low-cost computing in the past decade have enabled the generation of reliable materials data from fundamental physics equations. The paradigm shift towards theory-guided materials design is expected to enhance the catalyst discovery and development process by providing rational guidance to screen viable MXene catalysts more rapidly than an experimental-only approach. In this review, we aim to provide a critical appraisal of the latest theoretical and experimental work on MXenes in the fields of electro- and photocatalytic energy conversion, including relevant reactions involving hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen molecules. In the process, we will also be pointing out current limitations in theoretical models, existing scientific gaps and future research directions for this field.