Ab initio investigation of the structural,elastic and electronic properties of the anti-perovskite TlNCa3

We have investigated the structural, elastic and electronic properties of the anti-perovskite TlNCa₃ using ab initio calculations within the generalized gradient approximation and the local density approximation for the exchange–correlation potential. The lattice constant, bulk modulus, elastic constants and their pressure dependence, energy band structures, density of states and charge density distribution are calculated and analyzed in comparison with the available experimental and theoretical data. The bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, Lamé’s coefficients, average sound velocity and Debye temperature are numerically estimated for ideal polycrystalline TlNCa₃ aggregates in the framework of the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation. This is the first theoretical prediction of the elastic constants and their related properties for TlNCa₃ that requires experimental confirmation.     

Ab initio study of structural,elastic, and high-pressure properties of rubidium halides RbX (X = F,Cl, Br and I)

We present first-principle calculations on the structural, elastic, and high-pressure properties of rubidium halides compounds, using the pseudo-potential plane-waves approach based on density functional theory, within the generalized gradient approximation. Results are given for lattice constant, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative. The pressure transition at which these compounds undergo structural phase transition from NaCl-type to CsCl-type structure are calculated and compared with previous calculations and available experimental data. The elastic constants and their pressure dependence are calculated using the static finite strain technique. We derived the bulk and shear moduli, Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio for ideal polycrystalline RbF, RbCl, RbBr, and RbI aggregates. We estimated the Debye temperature of these compounds from the average sound velocity.     

Contribution to the study of structural and elastic properties of wüstite under pressure up to 140 GPa by pseudopotential calculations

Using first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory and the generalized gradient approximations, we have studied the effect of high pressures up to 140 GPa on the structural and elastic properties of wüstite. Our results indicate that FeO undergoes a structural phase transition from NaCl-type (B1) to NiAs-type (B8) almost at the pressure of 77 GPa. The density increases across this transition by about 5%, which is a higher value than that obtained in other researches. We can clearly present the wüstite elastic properties and isotropic wave velocities which are not already studied in this range of pressure, and we could compare these results with the available experiment data, especially with that of PREM model.     

Elasticity of the B2 phase and the effect of the B1–B2 phase transition on the elasticity of MgO

A study of the high-pressure anisotropy of MgO was conducted using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximations. The pressure dependence of the elastic stiffness coefficients and the anisotropy parameters, in both B1 and B2 phases, shows that for high-hydrostatic compression the easiest deformation is the shear along (100) plane and the the material's response to deformation and to shearing strains is quite the same. According to the calculations of the velocities of propagation of elastic waves, we deduced that MgO develop an elastic anisotropy, especially, in the B1 phase. We present the B2 phase elastic properties which are not already studied under high pressure.