Structures of diamond-like phases

The diamond-like phases containing carbon atoms with the same degree of hybridization, which is close to sp ³, are classified. It is found that twenty such phases can exist, and ten of them are described for the first time. Molecular mechanics and semi-empirical quantum-mechanical methods are used to calculate the geometrically optimized structures of diamond-like phase clusters and to determine their structural parameters and properties, such as the density, the bulk modulus, and the sublimation energy. The difference between the properties of the diamond-like phases and those of diamond is found to be determined by the difference between the structures of these phases and diamond.     

Structure Formation of Hexagonal Diamond: Ab Initio Calculations

Physics of the Solid State - The formation of structure of hexagonal diamond from graphite and cubic diamond is simulated with the density functional theory. Orthorhombic AB graphite transforms...     

Modeling of Phase Transitions of Graphites to Diamond-Like Phases

The method of the density functional theory is used to study structural transformations between graphites and diamond-like phases. The calculations have been carried out in two approximations: a local density approximation and a generalized gradient approximation. It is found that the phase transitions of hexagonal graphene layers to a cubic diamond and diamond-like phases must occur at uniaxial compressions of ~57–71 GPa, whereas some diamond-like phases can be obtained from tetragonal graphene layers at significantly lower pressures of 32–52 GPa. The X-ray diffraction patterns have been calculated for the phase transition of graphite I4₁/amd to tetragonal LA10 phase that takes place at the minimum pressure that can be used for experimental identification of these compounds.     

Specific features of the structure of detonation nanodiamonds from results of electron microscopy investigations

The experimental results of a comprehensive investigation of the structure of detonation synthesis nanodiamonds by electron microscopy methods have been presented. The morphology of diamond nanoparticles has been investigated and the microdiffraction patterns have been analyzed. The method of characteristic fast electron energy loss spectroscopy in transmission electron microscopy has been used. The local density of structural components of a nanodiamond (diamond core and fullerene-like shell) has been obtained. The shape of the shell surrounding the nanocrystal has been determined using model calculations. A hypothesis explaining the charging of the nanodiamond surface has been proposed.     

Structure and some physicochemical properties of carbon and silicon phases with a LA3 diamond-like lattice

The structures and properties of two diamond-like C-LA3 and Si-LA3 phases with crystallographically equivalent atomic sites are calculated by density functional theory with the exchange-correlation potential in the generalized gradient approximation (DFT-GGA). For these phases the structural characteristics, cohesion energies, densities of states, and bulk moduli are determined and powder diffraction patterns are calculated. It is found that the cohesion energies, band gaps, and bulk moduli of C-LA3 and Si-LA3 phases are smaller than the corresponding values of cubic diamond and silicon. Possible methods to obtain experimentally diamond-like C-LA3 and Si-LA3 phases are also analyzed in the paper.     

New structural modifications of diamond: LA9, LA10, and CA12

The structural characteristics and properties of three new carbon phases (LA9, LA10, CA12), which have a diamond-like structure and atoms located in crystallographically equivalent positions, are described. The model mechanism of LA9 and LA10 formation is the linking of L₆ and L_4–8 graphene layers, respectively, and phase CA12 can be formed by linking C₄ tetrahedral clusters. Phases LA9, LA10, and CA12 can also be formed as a result of the polymorphic transformations of three-dimensional graphite phases, when all atoms transform from a three-coordinated into a four-coordinated state. LDA-DFT calculations of the LA9, LA10, and CA12 phases are used to find their geometrically optimized structures and properties (density, total energy, density of states). In addition, powder X-ray diffraction patterns are calculated for these phases and possible methods of their synthesis are analyzed.     

New polymorphic types of diamond

The results of calculations by PM3 and LDA-DFT methods of the structure and properties of six new polymorphic types of diamond, in which all atomic sites are crystallographically equivalent, are presented. The structures of LA5 (Cmca), LA7 (Cmcm), and LA8 (I4₁/amd) phases are obtained as a result of stitching graphene layers and of CA9 \((Fd\bar 3m)\) , CA10 \((R\bar 3m)\) , and CA11 (P6₃/mmc) phases by stitching fullerenelike clusters. For these phases the geometrically optimized structures are calculated and the structural parameters, density, sublimation energy, bulk modulus, electron density of states, and X-ray diffraction pattern are measured. It is found that the properties of polymorphic types of diamond depend on the degree of their structure deformation in comparison with the cubic diamond structure.     

Structure,properties, and possible mechanisms of formation of diamond-like phases

An analysis was performed for relations between the structural parameters and the properties of 36 carbon diamond-like phases consisting of atoms occupying crystallographically equivalent positions. It was found that the crystal lattices of these phases were in stressed states with respect to the cubic diamond lattice. The density of diamond-like phases, their sublimation energies, bulk moduli, hardnesses, and band gaps depend on the deformation parameters Def and Str. The most stable phases must be phases with minimal parameters Def and Str and also with ring parameter Rng that is most close to the corresponding parameter of cubic diamond. The structures and energy characteristics of fullerites, nanotube bundles, and graphene layers of which diamond-like phases can be obtained as a result of polymerization at high pressures have been calculated.     

Formation of Diamond-Like Phases from Hexagonal and Tetragonal Graphene Layers

Structural mutual transformations of graphites and diamond-like phases are studied theoretically using the density functional theory. It is established that the phase transitions of hexagonal graphene to diamond- like phases should occur at uniaxial stresses of ~66–71 GPa, while some diamond-like phases can be obtained from tetragonal graphene at much lower pressures of ~40–52 GPa.     

Simulation of the phase transition of graphite to the diamond-like <Emphasis Type="Italic">LA</Emphasis>3 phase

The phase transition of graphite to a diamond-like LA3 phase is simulated by the methods of the density functional theory (DFT). The calculations are performed in the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). It is found that the structural transformation must occur at a pressure of 60 or 74 GPa according to calculations based on the DFT–LDA and DFT–GGA, respectively. The height of the potential barrier separating the structural state corresponding to the LA3 phase from the state corresponding to graphite exceeds 0.13 eV/atom. This indicates the possibility of stable existence of the diamond-like LA3 phase under standard conditions.