Pressure Effect of the Mechanical, Electronics and Thermodynamic Properties of Mg-B Compounds: A First-Principles Investigation
Abstract First principle calculations were performed to investigate the structural, mechanical, electronic properties, and thermodynamic properties of three binary Mg-B compounds under pressure, by using the first principle method. The results implied that the structural parameters and the mechanical properties of the Mg-B compounds without pressure are well matched with the obtainable theoretically simulated values and experimental data. The obtained pressure–volume and energy–volume revealed that the three Mg-B compounds were mechanically stable, and the volume variation decreases with an increase in the boron content. The shear and volume deformation resistance indicated that the elastic constant C ij and bulk modulus B increased when the pressure increased up to 40 GPa, and that MgB 7 had the strongest capacity to resist shear and volume deformation at zero pressure, which indicated the highest hardness. Meanwhile, MgB 4 exhibited a ductility transformation behaviour at 30 GPa, and MgB 2 and MgB 7 displayed a brittle nature under all the considered pressure conditions. The anisotropy of the three Mg-B compounds under pressure were arranged as follows: MgB 4 > MgB 2 > MgB 7. Moreover, the total density of states (TDOS) varied slightly and decreased with an increase in the pressure. The Debye temperature Θ D of the Mg-B compounds gradually increased with an increase in the pressure and the boron content. The temperature and pressure dependence of the heat capacity and the linear thermal expansion coefficient α were both obtained on the basis of Debye model under increased pressure from 0GPa to 40 GPa and increased temperatures. This paper brings a convenient understanding of the magnesium-boron alloys.