Predicted boron-carbide compounds: a first-principles study.

By using developed particle swarm optimization algorithm on crystal structural prediction, we have explored the possible crystal structures of B-C system. Their structures, stability, elastic properties, electronic structure, and chemical bonding have been investigated by first-principles calculations with density functional theory. The results show that all the predicted structures are mechanically and dynamically stable.

Phase stability and elastic properties of chromium borides with various stoichiometries.

Phase stability is important to the application of materials. By first-principles calculations, we establish the phase stability of chromium borides with various stoichiometries. Moreover, the phases of CrB3 and CrB4 have been predicted by using a newly developed particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm.

The effect of structure and phase transformation on the mechanical properties of Re₂N and the stability of Mn₂N.

First-principles calculations were carried out on recently synthesized Re₂N and Re₃N as well as hypothetical Tc and Mn nitrides. It is found that structure and covalent bonds play an important role in determining mechanical properties. Under a large strain along (0001)<1010> direction, Re₂N undergoes a phase transformation with a slight increase in ideal shear strength.

Electronic structure and low temperature thermoelectric properties of In₂₄M₈O₄₈ (M = Ge(4+), Sn(4+), Ti(4+), and Zr(4+)).

The electronic structure and transport properties of In₂₄M₈O₄₈ (M = Ge(4+), Sn(4+), Ti(4+), and Zr(4+)) have been studied by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method and the semiclassical Boltzmann theory, respectively. It is found that the magnitude of powerfactor with respect to relation time follows the order of In₂₄Sn₈O₄₈ > In₂₄Zr₈O₄₈ > In₂₄Ge₈O₄₈ > In₂₄Ti₈O₄₈. The largest powerfactor is 2.

Giant magnetic moment of the core-shell Co13@Mn20 clusters: first-principles calculations.

The core-shell clusters Co(13)@TM(20) with TM = Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni are investigated within first-principles simulations in the framework of density-functional theory. Huge magnetic moments have been found in the Co(13)@TM(20) clusters especially for the Co(13)@Mn(20) cluster with a giant magnetic moment of 113 μ(B). The large magnetic moments are mainly due to the special core-shell structure and the weak interaction between the TM and other atoms.

First-principles study of the structural, elastic, and electronic properties of C(20), C(12)B(8), and C(12)N(8).

First-principles calculations were performed to study the structural, elastic, and electronic properties of the crystalline form of C(20), C(12)B(8), and C(12)N(8). These compounds exhibit very different elastic and electronic properties. The shear modulus of C(12)N(8) is much higher than those of C(20) and C(12)B(8).

Density functional study of CO adsorbed on MnN (N = 2-8) clusters.

The geometry, electronic structure, magnetism, and adsorption properties of one CO molecule on the Mn(N) (N = 2-8) clusters have been investigated based on the density functional theory (DFT) with the spin polarized generalized gradient approximation. It is found that the CO molecule adsorbs on the atop site for N = 2, 4, 7, 8 and on the bridge site for N = 3, 5, 6. The results of the calculated second-order energy differences of bare Mn(N) cluster indicate that the Mn(3), Mn(6), and Mn(8) clusters have relatively low stability.

Density-functional study of structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the EuSi(n) (n=1-13) clusters.

The geometries, stabilities, and electronic and magnetic properties of europium encapsulated EuSi(n) (n=1-13) clusters have been investigated systematically by using relativistic density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation. Starting from n=12, the Eu atom completely falls into the center of the Si frame, i.e.

The competition of double-, four-, and three-ring tubular B(3n) (n = 8-32) nanoclusters.

The geometry and electronic properties of three-ring tubular B(3n) clusters (n = 8-32) are studied systematically with the density functional theory. It is composed of three staggered rings with the diameter of the middle ring larger than those of the two outer rings. With the increase in boron atom numbers, the three-ring tubular clusters are energetically more stable than the double-ring and four-ring tubular clusters and the buckled sheet clusters with hexagon holes.

No quenching of magnetic moment for the GenCo (n=1-13) clusters: first-principles calculations.

The authors predict that for the Ge(n)Co (n=1-13) clusters the magnetic moment does not quench, which is dark contrast to the previous results with transition-metal-doped Si(n) clusters. It may be due to the unpaired electrons of the Co atom in the clusters. For the ground state structures of the Ge(n)Co (n>or=9) clusters, the Co atom completely falls into the center of the Ge outer frame, forming metal-encapsulated Ge(n) cages.

A density functional study of YnAl (n=1-14) clusters.

The geometries, stabilities, and electronic and magnetic properties of Y(n)Al (n=1-14) clusters have been systematically investigated by using density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation. The growth pattern for different sized Y(n)Al (n=1-14) clusters is Al-substituted Y(n+1) clusters and it keeps the similar frameworks of the most stable Y(n+1) clusters except for Y(9)Al cluster. The Al atom substituted the surface atom of the Y(n+1) clusters for n<9.

First-principles study of the (001) surface of cubic SrHfO(3) and SrTiO(3).

We have performed first-principles calculations on the (001) surface of cubic SrHfO(3) and SrTiO(3) with SrO and BO(2) (B = Ti or Hf) terminations. Surface structure, partial density of states, band structure, and surface energy have been obtained. For the BO(2)-terminated surface, the largest relaxation appears on the second-layer atoms but not on the first-layer ones.