Application of borophene as catechol sensor: a computational study.

The efficacy of borophene (BP) as catechol (CC) sensor was explored using density functional theory (DFT) method. All calculations were performed at B3LYP level of theory and 6–31 + G(d) basis set employing the dispersion correction term of Grimme to consider dispersion interactions. The CC molecule is adsorbed on top of BP horizontally with the adsorption energy (Eads) of about − 13.5 kcal·mol−1. The HOMO and LUMO levels of nanosheet destabilize by about 0.36 and 0.14 eV, respectively, going from bare BP to BP-CC complex. Therefore, the Eg value decreases by about 10.5% upon adsorption process, which is a reasonable energy gap change for detection of CC. The negligible difference between the work function values (Φ, defined as the minimum amount of the energy needed to remove an electron from a solid to a point in the vacuum immediately outside the solid surface) of BP and its complex with CC indicates that the BP sheet is not an appropriate Φ-type sensor (in these sensors, adsorption of a chemical changes the gate voltage and produces an electrical signal that leads to the detection of chemical agent) for CC detection. The electrical conductivity of BP becomes 72 times higher after CC adsorption. The time needed for CC desorption from BP sheet is 7.6 ns, based on conventional transition state theory, showing that BP benefits from a short recovery time. The effect of CC concentration was explored by adsorption of 2 and 3 CC molecules on top of BP nanosheet and the results showed that the sensor response does not change by increasing the CC concentration. Also, the effect of lateral dimensions of BP on the adsorption energy was explored and it was shown that Eads increases by enlargement of the nanosheet.