Theoretical Study on the Propagation of Acoustic Phonon Modes in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Different Potential Models

Propagation of a heat pulse in （10,0） zig-zag carbon nanotubes, modeled by the Brenner-H and Tersoff bondorder potentials, respectively, is investigated using a molecular dynamics simulation. The longitudinal acoustic mode, twisting phonon mode, and second sound waves are observed in the simulation. The time variations of speed and intensity of the above three phonon modes are in good agreement with the previous works based on the Brenner-I potential. Higher speed and weaker peak intensity are observed in the simulation of the Tersoff potential. The inherent over-binding of radicals and the non-local effects in Tersoff＇s covalent-bonding formula may play an important role in the heat pulse propagating simulation.     

First-principles study of two new boron nitride structures:C12-BN and O16-BN

Based on the first-principles method,we predict two new stable BN allotropes:C12-BN and O16-BN,which belong to cubic and orthorhombic crystal systems,respectively.It is confirmed that both the phases are thermally and dynamically stable.The results of molecular dynamics simulations suggest that both the BN phases are highly stable even at high temperatures of 1000 K.In the case of mechanical properties,C12-BN has a bulk modulus of 359 GPa and a hardness of 43.4 GPa,making it a novel superhard material with potential technological and industrial applications.Electronic band calculations reveal that both C12-BN and O16-BN are insulators with direct band gaps of 3.02 e V and 3.54 e V,respectively.The XRD spectra of C12-BN and O16-BN are also simulated to provide more information for possible experimental observation.Our findings enrich the BN allotrope family and are expected to stimulate further experimental interest.     

First-principles study of helium clustering at initial stage in ThO_2

The clustering behavior of helium atoms in thorium dioxide has been investigated by first-principles calculations. The results show that He atoms tend to form a cluster around an octahedral interstitial site(OIS). As the concentration of He atoms in ThO_2 increases, the strain induced by the He atoms increases and the octahedral interstitial site is not large enough to accommodate a large cluster, such as a He hexamer. We considered three different Schottky defect(SD) configurations(SD_1, SD_2, and SD_3). When He atoms are located in the SD sites, the strain induced by the He atoms is released and the incorporation and binding energies decrease. The He trimer is the most stable cluster in SD_1. Large He clusters, such as a He hexamer, are also stable in the SDs.     

Edge effects on the characteristics of uranium diffusion on graphene and graphene nanoribbons

The first principles density-functional theoretical calculations of U adatom adsorption and diffusion on a planar graphene and quasi-one-dimensional graphene nanoribbons(GNRs) are performed. An energetic preference is found for U adatom diffusing to the hollow sites of both graphene and GNRs surface. A number of U distinctive diffusion paths either perpendicular or parallel to the ribbon growth direction are examined. The edge effects are evidenced by the calculated energy barriers of U adatom diffusion on armchair and zigzag nanoribbons surfaces. The calculation results indicate that the diffusion of U adatom from the inner site toward the edge site is a feasible process, particularly in zigzagGNR. It is viable to control the initial morphology of nuclear carbon material to retard the diffusion and concentration of nuclides.     

A First-Principles Study on the Vibrational and Electronic Properties of Zr-C MXenes

Within the framework of density functional theory calculations,the structural,vibrational,and electronic properties of Zr_(n )C_(n-1)(n=2,3,and 4)and their functionalized MXenes have been investigated.We find that the most stable configurations for Zr-C MXene are the ones that the terminal groups F,O,and OH locate on the common hollow site of the superficial Zr layer and its adjacent C layer.F and OH-terminated Zr_3C_(2 )and Zr_4C_(3 )have small imaginary acoustic phonon branches aroundΓpoint while the others have no negative phonon modes.The pristine MXenes(Zr_2C,Zr_3C_(2 )and Zr_4C_3)are all metallic with large DOS contributed by the Zr atom at the Fermi energy.When functionalized by F,O and OH,new hybridization states appear and the DOS at the Fermi level are reduced.Moreover,we find that their metallic characteristic increases with an increase in n.For(Zr_(n )C_(n-1))O_2,Zr_2CO_(2 )is a semiconductor,Zr_3C_2O_(2 )is a semimetal,and Zr_4C_3O_(2 )becomes a metal.