Dioxygen molecule adsorption and oxygen atom diffusion on clean and defective Aluminum (111) surface using first principles calculations

First principles calculations are conducted to investigate kinetic behavior of oxygen species at the surface of clean and defective Al(111) substrate. Oxygen island, aluminum vacancy, aluminum sub-vacancy, aluminum ad-atom and aluminum terraces defects are addressed. Adsorption of oxygen molecule is first performed on all these systems resulting in dissociated oxygen atoms in main cases. The obtained adsorbed configurations are then picked to study the behavior of atomic oxygen specie and get a detailed understanding on the effect of the local environment on the ability of the oxygen atom to diffuse on the surface. We pointed out that local environment impacts energetics of oxygen atom diffusion. Close packed oxygen island, sub-vacancy and ad-atoms favor oxygen atom stability and decrease mobility of oxygen atom on the surface, to be seen as surface area for further nucleation of oxygen island.