Integrating Newton's equations of motion in the reciprocal space.

We here present the normal dynamics technique, which recasts the Newton's equations of motion in terms of phonon normal modes by exploiting a proper sampling of the reciprocal space. After introducing the theoretical background, we discuss how the reciprocal space sampling enables us to (i) obtain a computational speedup by selecting which and how many wave vectors of the Brillouin zone will be considered and (ii) account for distortions realized across large atomic distances without the use of large simulation cells. We implemented the approach into an open-source code, which we used to present three case studies: in the first one, we elucidate the general strategy for the sampling of the reciprocal space; in the second one, we illustrate the potential of the approach by studying the stabilization effect of temperature in α-uranium; and in the last one, we investigate the characterization of Raman spectra at different temperatures in MoS2/MX2 transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures.

Role of Trapped Molecules at Sliding Contacts in Lattice-Resolved Friction.

Understanding atomic friction within a liquid environment is crucial for engineering friction mechanisms and characterizing surfaces. It has been suggested that the lattice resolution of friction force microscope in liquid environments stems from a dry contact state, with all liquid molecules expelled from the area of closest approach between the tip and substrate. Here, we revisit this assertion by performing in-depth friction force microscopy experiments and molecular dynamics simulations of the influence of surrounding water molecules on the dynamic behavior of the nanotribological contact between an amorphous SiO probe and a monolayer MoS substrate.

Effects of Water Content on the Transport and Thermodynamic Properties of Phosphonium Ionic Liquids.

We present a numerical investigation of the influence of water content on the dynamic properties of a family of phosphonium-based room-temperature ionic liquids. The study presents a compelling correlation between structural changes in water-ionic liquid solutions and thermodynamic and transport properties across diverse systems. The results for phosphonium ionic liquids are compared with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexaphosphate ([bmim]PF) as a reference.

Molecular dynamics investigation of the influence of the shape of the cation on the structure and lubrication properties of ionic liquids.

We present a theoretical study of the influence of the molecular geometry of the cation on the response of ionic liquids (ILs) to confinement and mechanical strain. The so-called tailed model includes a large spherical anion and asymmetric cation consisting of a charged head and a neutral tail. Despite its simplicity, this model recovers a wide range of structures seen in ILs: a simple cubic lattice for small tails, a liquid-like state for symmetric cation-tail dimers, and a molecular layer structure for dimers with large tails.

Correction: A platform for nanomagnetism - assembled ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic dipolar tubes.

Correction for 'A platform for nanomagnetism - assembled ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic dipolar tubes' by Igor Stanković et al., Nanoscale, 2019, DOI: 10.1039/c8nr06936k.

A platform for nanomagnetism - assembled ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic dipolar tubes.

We report an interesting case where magnetic phenomena can transcend mesoscopic scales. Our system consists of tubes created by the assembly of dipolar spheres. The cylindrical topology results in the breakup of degeneracy observed in planar square and triangular packings.

Influence of confinement on flow and lubrication properties of a salt model ionic liquid investigated with molecular dynamics.

We present a molecular dynamics study of the effects of confinement on the lubrication and flow properties of ionic liquids. We use a coarse-grained salt model description of ionic liquid as a lubricant confined between finite solid plates and subjected to two dynamic regimes: shear and cyclic loading. The impact of confinement on the ion arrangement and mechanical response of the system has been studied in detail and compared to static and bulk properties.

Structure and cohesive energy of dipolar helices.

This paper deals with the investigation of cohesive energy in dipolar helices made up of hard spheres. Such tubular helical structures are ubiquitous objects in biological systems. We observe a complex dependence of cohesive energy on surface packing fraction and dipole moment distribution.