The electronic structure and elastic properties of the ternary layered
carbide V3GeC2 were investigated by the first-principle plane-wave
pseudopotential total energy calculation method based on density functional
theory. It is found that the computed P63/mmc lattice constants and internal
coordinates are a = 2.9636?, c = 17.2256? and zV2 = 0.1325, zC = 0.5712,
respectively. The predictable cohesive energy of V3GeC2 reflects that it
could be a stable Mn+1AXn phase like Ti3GeC2 and V2GeC, while the band
structure shows that the V3GeC2 has anisotropic electrical conductivity,
with a high density of states at the Fermi energy. The V3GeC2 exhibits
potential anisotropic elastic properties, as well as self-lubricating and
ductile behaviour, related to the V-Ge bonds being relatively weaker than
the V-C bonds.