A Phase-Change Mechanism of GST-SL Based Superlattices upon Sb Flipping

Reversible phase-change behaviors of Ge–Sb–Te based superlattices (GST-SL) were studied by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations based on three models containing Ge/Sb intermixing, namely the Petrov-mix, Ferro-mix, and Kooi-mix models. The flipping behavior of Sb atoms was found in all the three GST-SL models in the melting process. Among them the Kooi-mix model exhibited the best stability, and the analyses of bond length distribution and electron localization function provided a better explanation on the phase transition of GST-SL. Finally, we proposed a fast switching model for GST-SL based on Sb flipping.

Generalized Edge effects on Graphene Nanoribbons Heterojunctions

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) [1-3] are carbon-based quasi-one-dimensional strips that have provoked great interest nowadays due to some intriguing properties. Simple geometry changes can mainly control their electronic properties. This feature, allied with synthesis advances on tailoring precision, has presented the GNRs as a solid candidate to become a fundamental material in semiconductors applications in the future. Recently, a new edge design approach has gained impulse: heterojunctions. The possibility of mixing completely distinctive edge shapes opened an entirely new fashion in tailoring GNRs. Till now, just a fraction of these materials have their properties fully understood besides the encouraging prospect [2,3]. In this work, we investigated the influence of edge functionalization on arbitrary GNR heterojunctions. The model selected consists of the 2D extended SSH model with electron-phonon coupling [1]. The stationary states rise from the implementation of a self-consistent algorithm, which combines the hamiltonian diagonalization process with the consecutive solving of Euler-Lagrange equations of the expected Lagrangian value. Each heterojunction geometry was subjected to an extensive edge modification. Results unveil a relationship between the stability, electronic properties, and statistical measures of the site's spatial displacement. The energy bandgap tends to be higher when the sites have more energy. Additionally, the more disperse the bond length distribution is, the higher will be the bandgap. Therefore, the connection among these properties has critical importance for future design heterojunctions GNR.

Effect of Nd content on the energetics of H2O adsorption and defect structure in the Ce(1−x)NdxO(2−0.5x) system

The effect of Nd on the bond length distribution and excess adsorption enthalpy of H2O (relative to pure CeO2) in the Ce(1−x)NdxO(2−0.5x) system.

The structural transition under compression and correlation between structural and dynamical heterogeneity for liquid Al2O3

This study reported a simulation of structural transition and correlation between structural and dynamical heterogeneity (DH) for liquid Al2O3. Structural characteristics of liquid Al2O3 were clarified through the pair radial distribution functions, the distribution of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], 4, 5, 6; [Formula: see text], 2, 3) basic structural units, angle and bond length distribution and 3D visualization. Simulation results revealed that network structure of liquid Al2O3 is built mainly by AlO3, AlO4, AlO5 and AlO6 units that are linked to each other through common oxygen atoms. We found the existence of separate AlO4-, AlO5- and AlO6-phases where the mobility of atoms can be determined. The atoms in AlO4-phase are more mobile than the ones in AlO5- and AlO6-phases. The existence of separate phases is evidence of DH in liquid Al2O3. Moreover, the self-diffusion of Al and O atoms was also discussed via characteristics of separate AlO4-, AlO5- and AlO6-phases.

Crystallization of amorphous silica under compression

The structural phase transformation and crystallization of amorphous silica at 500 K under high pressure are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. Under compression, there is a structural transformation from tetrahedral- to octahedral-network via SiO5 units. Structural transformation occurs strongly in the 5–15 GPa pressure range and there exist three structural phases corresponding to SiO4, SiO5, and SiO6. Beyond 15 GPa, octahedral-network is dominant. At pressure higher than 20 GPa, octahedral network tends to transform to crystalline phase (stishovite). Mechanism of structural transformation is clarified via coordination-number, bond-angle distributions, bond length distribution, and 3D visualization. The size-distribution of phase regions is also determined in this work.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Experimental Studies on the Thermomechanical Properties of Epoxy Resin with Different Anhydride Curing Agents

An investigation of the relationship between the microstructure parameters and thermomechanical properties of epoxy resin can provide a scientific basis for the optimization of epoxy systems. In this paper, the thermomechanical properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/methyl tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (MTHPA) and DGEBA/nadic anhydride (NA) were calculated and tested by the method of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation combined with experimental verification. The effects of anhydride curing agents on the thermomechanical properties of epoxy resin were investigated. The results of the simulation and experiment showed that the thermomechanical parameters (glass transition temperature (Tg) and Young’s modulus) of the DGEBA/NA system were higher than those of the DGEBA/MTHPA system. The simulation results had a good agreement with the experimental data, which verified the accuracy of the crosslinking model of epoxy resin cured with anhydride curing agents. The microstructure parameters of the anhydride-epoxy system were analyzed by MD simulation, including bond-length distribution, synergy rotational energy barrier, cohesive energy density (CED) and fraction free volume (FFV). The results indicated that the bond-length distribution of the MTHPA and NA was the same except for C–C bonds. Compared with the DGEBA/MTHPA system, the DGEBA/NA system had a higher synergy rotational energy barrier and CED, and lower FFV. It can be seen that the slight change of curing agent structure has a significant effect on the synergy rotational energy barrier, CED and FFV, thus affecting the Tg and modulus of the system.

On the effect of Ga and In substitutions in the Ca11Bi10and Yb11Bi10bismuthides crystallizing in the tetragonal Ho11Ge10structure type

The Ga- and In-substituted bismuthides Ca11GaxBi10–x, Ca11InxBi10–x, Yb11GaxBi10–x, and Yb11InxBi10–x(x< 2) can be readily synthesized employing molten Ga or In metals as fluxes. They crystallize in the tetragonal space groupI4/mmmand adopt the Ho11Ge10structure type (Pearson codetI84; Wyckoff sequencen2m j h2e2d). The structural response to the substitution of Bi with smaller and electron-poorer In or Ga has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods for the case of Ca11InxBi10–x[x= 1.73 (2); octabismuth undecacalcium diindium]. The refinements show that the In atoms substitute Bi only at the 8hsite. The refined interatomic distances show an unconventional – for this structure type – bond-length distribution within the anionic sublattice. The latter can be viewed as consisting of isolated Bi3−anions and [In4Bi820−] clusters for the idealized Ca11In2Bi8model. Formal electron counting and first-principle calculations show that the peculiar bonding in this compound drives the system toward an electron-precise state, thereby stabilizing the observed bond-length pattern.

Crystal structure oftrans-1,4-bis[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dicarbonitrile

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C14H22N2O2Si2, contains one half of the molecule, which is completed by inversion symmetry. The cyclohexa-2,5-diene ring is exactly planar and reflects the bond-length distribution of a pair of located double bonds [1.3224 (14) Å] and two pairs of single bonds [1.5121 (13) and 1.5073 (14) Å]. The tetrahedral angle between thesp3-C atom and the two neighbouringsp2-C atoms in the cyclohexa-2,5-diene ring is enlarged by about 3°.

Redetermination of β-Ba(PO3)2

In comparison with the previous structure determination of the β-modification of bariumcatena-polyphosphate that was based on Weissenberg film data [Grenieret al.(1967).Bull. Soc. Fr. Minéral. Cristallogr.90, 24–31], the current CCD-data-based redetermination reveals all atoms with anisotropic displacement parameters, standard uncertainties for the atomic coordinates, and the determination of the absolute structure. Moreover, a much higher accuracy in terms of the bond-length distribution for the polyphosphate chain, with two shorter and two longer P—O distances, was achieved. The structure consists of polyphosphate chains extending parallel to [100] with a periodicity of two PO4tetrahedra. The Ba2+cations are located between the chains and are surrounded by ten O atoms in the form of a distorted coordination polyhedron, with Ba—O distances ranging from 2.765 (3) to 3.143 (3) Å, also reflecting the higher precision of the current redetermination.

Local Structural Analysis of Al2O3, Cr:Al2O3 and V:Al2O3 Using Powder XRD

The electron density distribution and the local structure of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), chromium doped aluminum oxide (Cr:Al2O3) and vanadium doped aluminum oxide (V:Al2O3) have been studied. Powder X-ray data set of Al2O3 , Cr:Al2O3 and V:Al2O3 is analyzed in terms of cell parameters, thermal vibration parameters, 1D, 2D and 3 Dimensional electron density distributions. The bonding between the atoms using the maximum entropy method (MEM) and bond length distribution using pair distribution function (PDF) has been analyzed. The particle size of Al2O3 , Cr:Al2O3 and V:Al2O3 is also analyzed using XRD and SEM.