Negative thermal expansion in NbF_3 and NbOF_2:A comparative theoretical study

Thermal expansion control is always an obstructive factor and challenging in high precision engineering field. Here,the negative thermal expansion of Nb F_3 and Nb OF_2 was predicted by first-principles calculation with density functional theory and the quasi-harmonic approximation(QHA). We studied the total charge density, thermal vibration, and lattice dynamic to investigate the thermal expansion mechanism. We found that the presence of O induced the relatively strong covalent bond in Nb OF_2, thus weakening the transverse vibration of F and O in Nb OF_2, compared with the case of Nb F_3.In this study, we proposed a way to tailor negative thermal expansion of metal fluorides by introducing the oxygen atoms.The present work not only predicts two NTE compounds, but also provides an insight on thermal expansion control by designing chemical bond type.     

The Role of Radical Bridges in Polynuclear Single-Molecule Magnets

Employing radical bridges between anisotropic metal ions has been a viable route to achieve high-performance single-molecule magnets (SMMs). While the bridges have been mainly considered for their ability to promote exchange interactions, the crystal-field effect arising from them has not been taken into account explicitly. This lack of consideration may distort the understanding and limit the development of the entire family. To shed light on this aspect, herein we report a theoretical investigation of a series of N -radical-bridged diterbium complexes. It is found that while promoting strong exchange coupling between the terbium ions, the N -radical induces a crystal field that interferes destructively with that of the outer ligands, and thus reduces the overall SMM behavior. Based on the theoretical results, we conclude that the SMM behavior in this series could be further maximized if the crystal field of the outer ligands is designed to be collinear with that of the radical bridge. This conclusion can be generalized to all exchange-coupled SMMs.     

Magnesium-Based Clusters as Building Blocks of Electrolytes in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Superhalogens, owing to their large electron affinity (EA, exceeding those of any halogen atom), play an essential role in physical chemistry as well as new material design. They have applications in hydrogen storage and lithium-ion batteries. Owing to the unique geometries and electronic features of magnesium-based clusters, their potential to form a new class of lithium salts has been investigated here theoretically. The idea is assessed by conducting ab initio computations on Li⁺/Mg_nF_2n+1-2mO_m⁻ compounds (n=2, 3; m=0-3) and analyzing their performance as potential Li-ion battery electrolytes. The Mg₃F₇⁻ cluster, with large electron binding energy (EA of 7.93 eV), has been proven to serve as a building block for lithium salts. It is shown that, apart from high electronic stability, the new superhalogen-based electrolytes exhibit a set of desirable properties, including a large band gap, high electrolyte stability window, easy mobility of the Li⁺, and favorable insensitivity to water.     

输电铁塔四地脚螺栓塔脚板抗拉承载力试验与计算方法研究

针对架空输电线路铁塔中常用的四地脚螺栓塔脚板进行了抗拉承载力试验和理论计算方法研究。首先,选取8个试件进行塔脚板抗拉承载力试验研究,分析塔脚底板板厚及有无加劲板对塔脚板抗拉承载力的影响;其次,通过有限元模拟塔脚板的应力分布情况,并结合“塑性分析,弹性设计”的思想,提出了一种基于屈服线理论的四地脚螺栓塔脚板抗拉承载力计算公式;最后,与试验结果、有限元仿真结果、已有技术规定中的计算结果进行了对比。结果表明:建议公式与试验结果和仿真结果较为吻合,相关技术规定中的计算结果偏于保守,验证了本文建议公式的精确性;底板厚度和加劲板的作用对塔脚板承载力影响较大。研究结果可为输电铁塔四地脚螺栓塔脚板结构设计提供参考。     

石墨烯纳米网电导特性的能带机理：第一原理计算

通过第一原理电子结构计算来研究有序多孔纳米网的电导特性变化的能带机理.能带结构分析结果表明:石墨烯纳米网超晶格(3m,3n)(m和n为整数)的电子本征态在布里渊区中心点发生四重简并;碳空位孔洞规则排列形成的石墨烯纳米网具有由简并态分裂形成的宽度可调带隙,无论石墨烯的两个子晶格是否对等.在具有磁性网孔阵列的石墨烯纳米网中,反铁磁耦合使对称子晶格的反演对称性增加了一项量子限制条件,导致能带结构在K点的二重简并态分裂成带隙.通过控制网孔密度能够有效调节石墨烯纳米网的带隙宽度,为实现新一代石墨烯纳米电子器件提供了理论依据.     

Amorphous silicon hexaboride at high pressure

ABSTRACT

We investigate the pressure-induced structural phase transformation of amorphous silicon hexaboride (a-SiB₆) using a constant pressure first principles approach. a-SiB₆ is found to undergo a gradual phase transformation to a high-density amorphous phase (HDA) in which the average coordination number of both B and Si atoms is about 6. The HDA phase consists of differently coordinated motifs ranging from 4 to 8. B₁₂ icosahedra are found to persist during compression of a-SiB₆ and the structural modifications primarily occur around Si atoms and in the regions linking pentagonal pyramid-like configurations to each other. Upon pressure release, an amorphous structure, similar to the uncompressed one, is recovered, indicating a reversible amorphous-to-amorphous phase change in a-SiB_6. When the electronic structure is considered, the HDA phase is perceived to have a wider forbidden band gap than the uncompressed one.     

Identifying aspirin polymorphs from combined DFT-based crystal structure prediction and solid-state NMR

A combined experimental and computational approach was used to distinguish between different polymorphs of the pharmaceutical drug aspirin. This method involves the use of ab initio random structure searching (AIRSS), a density functional theory (DFT)-based crystal structure prediction method for the high-accuracy prediction of polymorphic structures, with DFT calculations of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters and solid-state NMR experiments at natural abundance. AIRSS was used to predict the crystal structures of form-I and form-II of aspirin. The root-mean-square deviation between experimental and calculated ¹H chemical shifts was used to identify form-I as the polymorph present in the experimental sample, the selection being successful despite the large similarities between the molecular environments in the crystals of the two polymorphs.     

就单摆问题引入大学物理教学新模式

单摆教学的过程中引入MATLAB数值计算的教学新模式,可以有效地改善大学物理教学的枯燥方式,有助于提高学生对大学物理课中抽象的、复杂的物理现象和规律的理解,也有助于促进对所学数学知识的实际应用.这种新教学模式是深化高等工程教育改革、加快新工科建设、促进创新型工科人才培养的有效手段.     

硫钒铜矿化合物电子结构和电致变色特性的第一原理研究

基于密度泛函的第一原理赝势平面波方法，计算晶体结构、电子结构和光学性质，研究硫钒铜矿化合物Cu₃VS₄、Cu₃NbS₄和Cu₃TaS₄的电子输运及电致变色特性，探讨作为透明半导体材料应用于太阳能电池和电致变色器件的可能性.电子结构的计算表明这类化合物是间接带隙半导体，其电子能带的导带底和价带顶分别位于布里渊区的X点和R点.价带顶的电子本征态主要来自于Cu原子的d电子轨道，而导带底电子态主要来源于VB族元素原子的d电子轨道.能带结构、电荷布居分析、电子局域化函数和光吸收及反射谱的计算表明这些硫钒铜矿化合物属于极性共价半导体，具有较高的电荷迁移率和优良的电致变色特性，可应用于高效电致变色器件.