Quantum-mechanical calculation of the solid-state equilibrium MgO+ alpha -Al2O3

Strong Magnetic Exchange Interactions and Delocalized Mn-O States Enable High-Voltage Capacity in the Na-Ion Cathode P2-Na0.67[Mg0.28Mn0.72]O2

The increased capacity offered by oxygen-redox active cathode materials for rechargeable lithium- and sodium-ion batteries (LIBs and NIBs, respectively) offers a pathway to the next generation of high-gravimetric-capacity cathodes for use in devices, transportation and on the grid. Many of these materials, however, are plagued with voltage fade, voltage hysteresis and O2 loss, the origins of which can be traced back to changes in their electronic and chemical structures on cycling. Developing a detailed understanding of these changes is critical to mitigating these cathodes' poor performance. In this work, we present an analysis of the redox mechanism of P2-Na0.67[Mg0.28Mn0.72]O2, a layered NIB cathode whose high capacity has previously been attributed to trapped O2 molecules. We examine a variety of charge compensation scenarios, calculate their corresponding densities of states and spectroscopic properties, and systematically compare the results to experimental data: 25Mg and 17O nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, operando X-band and ex situ high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), ex situ magnetometry, and O and Mn K-edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES). Via a process of elimination, we suggest that the mechanism for O redox in this material is dominated by a process that involves the formation of strongly antiferromagnetic, delocalized Mn-O states which form after Mg2+ migration at high voltages. Our results primarily rely on noninvasive techniques that are vital to understanding the electronic structure of metastable cycled cathode samples.

Theoretical Characterization of Germanene Doped with Main Group Elements

Herein, using density functional calculations, we studied the substitutional doping in germanene with B, C, N, O, Al, Si, P, S, Ga, As, and Se. Nitrogen is the element that can be more easily incorporated into the germanene lattice, followed by silicon, carbon, and boron. Almost all dopants were efficient in opening a band-gap. Yet, caution should be taken because this opening strongly depends on the dopant concentration. Carbon and sulfur were the most effective elements for band-gap opening. C-doping generates the lowest effective masses (me*/m0=mh*/m0=0.09). The equal me and mh values indicate an intrinsic semiconductor behavior, a characteristic shared by the chalcogenides-doped systems. Additionally, we performed a detailed analysis of the preferred disposition of dopants in the germanene lattice. In contrast with the results obtained for graphene, when multiple atoms are introduced in the germanene framework, they do not prefer to be agglomerated, adopting a random disposition, except in the case of sulfur and nitrogen, which favored specific dopant arrangement. Two sulfur dopants showed a notorious preference for replacing a Ge-Ge bond but without forming an S-S linkage, thus adopting a thiophene-like structure that may impart germanene exciting properties, as observed for S and N codoped graphene.

Regression Machine Learning Models Used to Predict DFT-Computed NMR Parameters of Zeolites

Machine learning approaches can drastically decrease the computational time for the predictions of spectroscopic properties in materials, while preserving the quality of the computational approaches. We studied the performance of kernel-ridge regression (KRR) and gradient boosting regressor (GBR) models trained on the isotropic shielding values, computed with density-functional theory (DFT), in a series of different known zeolites containing out-of-frame metal cations or fluorine anion and organic structure-directing cations. The smooth overlap of atomic position descriptors were computed from the DFT-optimised Cartesian coordinates of each atoms in the zeolite crystal cells. The use of these descriptors as inputs in both machine learning regression methods led to the prediction of the DFT isotropic shielding values with mean errors within 0.6 ppm. The results showed that the GBR model scales better than the KRR model.

Titration of Cu(I) Sites in Cu-ZSM-5 by Volumetric CO Adsorption

Cu-exchanged zeolites are widely studied materials because of their importance in industrial energetic and environmental processes. Cu redox speciation lies at the center of many of these processes but is experimentally difficult to investigate in a quantitative manner with regular laboratory equipment. This work presents a novel technique for this purpose that exploits the selective adsorption of CO over accessible Cu(I) sites to quantify them. In particular, isothermal volumetric adsorption measurements are performed at 50 °C on a series of opportunely pre-reduced Cu-ZSM-5 to assess the relative fraction of Cu(I); the setup is fairly simple and only requires a regular volumetric adsorption apparatus to perform the actual measurement. Repeatability tests are carried out on the measurement and activation protocols to assess the precision of the technique, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) obtained is less than 5%. Based on the results obtained for these materials, the same CO adsorption protocol is studied for the sample using infrared spectroscopy, and a good correlation is found between the results of the volumetric measurements and the absorbance of the peak assigned to the Cu(I)-CO adducts. A linear model is built for this correlation, and the molar attenuation coefficient is obtained, allowing for spectrophotometric quantification. The good sensitivity of the spectrophotometric approach and the precision and simplicity of the volumetric approach form a complementary set of tools to quantitatively study Cu redox speciation in these materials at the laboratory scale, allowing for a wide range of Cu compositions to be accurately investigated.

Catalyst sites and active species in the early stages of MTO conversion over cobalt AlPO-18 followed by IR spectroscopy

Reaction-time resolved IR spectroscopy highlights the role of CO and surface –OCH3 in the MTO conversion catalysed by CoAPO-18 with maximised concentration of acidic sites.

Structural Origins of Voltage Hysteresis in the Na-Ion Cathode P2-Na0.67[Mg0.28Mn0.72]O2: A Combined Spectroscopic and Density Functional Theory Study

P2-layered sodium-ion battery (NIB) cathodes are a promising class of Na-ion electrode materials with high Na+ mobility and relatively high capacities. In this work, we report the structural changes that take place in P2-Na0.67[Mg0.28Mn0.72]O2. Using ex situ X-ray diffraction, Mn K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure, and 23Na NMR spectroscopy, we identify the bulk phase changes along the first electrochemical charge-discharge cycle-including the formation of a high-voltage "Z phase", an intergrowth of the OP4 and O2 phases. Our ab initio transition state searches reveal that reversible Mg2+ migration in the Z phase is both kinetically and thermodynamically favorable at high voltages. We propose that Mg2+ migration is a significant contributor to the observed voltage hysteresis in Na0.67[Mg0.28Mn0.72]O2 and identify qualitative changes in the Na+ ion mobility.

DFT Simulation of the Water Molecule Interaction with the (00l) Surface of Montmorillonite

Montmorillonite is one of the principal mineralogical phases in clay minerals, where its interaction with water and other molecules represents one of the most important aspects and properties for basic science and specific applications. In fact, montmorillonite has many uses in various scientific and technological fields, ranging from environmental remediation to ceramics, food science, and construction/building materials. Several efforts have characterized its structure and physico-chemical properties, especially at the Tetrahedral-Octahedral-Tetrahedral TOT surface. For this purpose, in this work, the authors investigated the structural and electrostatic potential features of the (00l) surface of montmorillonite and the water adsorption process by first principle methods (density functional theory, DFT), considering both static and molecular dynamics approaches. The provided data further extend the knowledge of the modulation of the water molecule adsorption with this important clay mineral.

First principles calculations of the vibrational properties of single and dimer F-type centers in corundum crystals

The present paper investigates the F-type centers in α-Al₂O₃ through their electronic and vibrational properties from first principle calculations using a periodic supercell approach, a hybrid functional, and all-electron Gaussian basis sets as implemented in the CRYSTAL17 code. Single F-type and dimer F₂-type centers related to oxygen vacancies in various charge states were considered. The defect-induced vibrational modes were identified and found to appear mainly in the low (up to 300 cm^-1) and high (above 700 cm^-1) frequency regions, depending on the defect charge. The perturbation introduced by the defects to the thermal nuclear motion in the crystal lattice is discussed in terms of atomic anisotropic displacement parameters. The calculated Raman spectra are discussed for the first time for such defects in α-Al₂O₃, suggesting important information for future experimental and theoretical studies and revealing deeper insight into their behavior.

Robust Periodic Fock Exchange with Atom-Centered Gaussian Basis Sets

In this work, we present a robust implementation of the periodic Fock exchange for atom-centered Gaussian-type orbitals (GTOs). We discuss the divergence, appearing in the formulation of the periodic Fock exchange in the case of a finite number of k-points, and compare two schemes that remove it. These are the minimum image convention (MIC) and the truncated Coulomb interaction (TCI) that we use here in combination with k-meshes. We observe artifacts in four-center integrals of GTOs, when evaluated in the TCI scheme. They carry over to the exchange and density matrices of Hartree-Fock calculations for TCI but are absent in MIC. At semiconducting and insulating systems, we show that both MIC and TCI yield the same energies for a sufficiently large supercell or k-mesh, but the self-consistent field algorithm is more stable for MIC. We therefore conclude that the MIC is superior to TCI and validate our implementation by comparing not only to other GTO-based calculations but also by demonstrating excellent agreement with results of plane-wave codes for sufficiently large Gaussian basis sets.

On the structure of superbasic (MgO)n sites solvated in a faujasite zeolite

Theory and experiment reveal the structure of magnesium oxide nanoclusters in a superbasic faujasite zeolite.

Enhancing bimetallic synergy with light: the effect of UV light pre-treatment on catalytic oxygen activation by bimetallic Au–Pt nanoparticles on a TiO2 support

UV pre-illumination-enhanced bimetallic synergy work-function-driven electron transfer pathway. Au; Pt; oxygen; electron.

A systematic study of 25Mg NMR in paramagnetic transition metal oxides: applications to Mg-ion battery materials

Solid-state ²⁵Mg paramagnetic nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were studied both experimentally and with density functional theory calculations.

Periodic model of LTA framework containing various non-tetrahedral cations

A simplified periodic model of Linde Type A zeolite (LTA) structure with various selected mono- and di-valent extra-framework cations was formulated. Ab initio calculations (geometry optimization and vibrational spectra calculations) using the proposed model were carried out by means of Crystal09 program. The resulting structures and simulated spectra were analyzed in detail and compared with the experimental ones. The presented results show that in most cases the proposed model agrees well with experimental results. Individual bands were assigned to respective normal modes of vibration and the changes resulting from the selective substitution of extra framework cations were described and explained.

Investigating the effect of UV light pre-treatment on the oxygen activation capacity of Au/TiO2

UV light pre-illumination-enhanced catalytic O₂ activation by Au/TiO₂. Carbon; hydrogen; oxygen; electron; charge traps; Au; Au perimeter atom.

Periodic model of an LTA framework

Zeolites are a group of microporous aluminosilicate frameworks with numerous applications in, for example, catalysis and ion-exchange and sorption processes. One of the most important tools for analyzing the properties of zeolite structures is vibrational spectroscopy. However, the complexity of these structures often leads to difficulties when attempting to interpret the resulting spectra, so an additional complementary tool is required: computational methods. The aim of this study was to formulate a simplified periodic model of an LTA framework containing alkali metal cations (either Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), or Cs(+)) and to perform a set of ab initio calculations aimed at assessing the influence of these cations on the properties of the vibrational spectra of the LTA framework. Additionally, chemical bonding was analyzed by means of electron density topology analysis. Results obtained were compared with experimental spectra for alkali metal forms of zeolite A. It was found that the vibrational spectra obtained using the proposed model agree well with the corresponding experimentally derived spectra, meaning that the model can be used to analyze real spectra in detail.

The influence of the long-range order on the vibrational spectra of structures based on sodalite cage

Zeolites are a group of tecto-aluminosilicates with numerous practical applications, e.g. gas separators, molecular sieves and sorbents. The unique properties result from porous structure of channels and cages which are built from smaller units - the so-called Secondary Building Units (SBU), and sometimes also larger groups (Breck, 1974; Ciciszwili et al., 1974; Mozgawa, 2008; Čejka and van Bekkum, 2005). The aim of this study was the examination of the influence of long-range order on vibrational spectra of sodalite and zeolite A. Ab initio calculations (geometry optimizations and vibrational spectra calculations) of sodalite cage and selected SBU were carried out by means of Gaussian09 (Frisch et al., 2009) (in the case of isolated clusters) and Crystal09 (Dovesi et al., 2005, 2009) (for periodic structures). The obtained results were compared with the experimental spectra of sodalite and zeolite A crystal structures, synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. These results allowed analyzing of the long-range ordering influence on the vibrational spectra, as well as the identification of the characteristic vibrations in β cage based frameworks. It has been found, that based on small structural fragment (SBU) models a characteristic vibrations can be identify. However, full spectra analysis and especially the interpretation of far-infrared region of the spectra require using periodic models under the influence of translational crystal lattice.

Single Molecule Investigation of Glycine-Chlorite Interaction by Cross-Correlated Scanning Probe Microscopy and Quantum Mechanics Simulations

In this work, we studied the interaction of glycine with the (001) surface of chlorite mineral at a single molecule level by cross-correlating scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and ab initio quantum mechanics (QM) investigations. Chlorite mineral is particularly interesting and peculiar for the interaction with organic molecules because it presents an alternated stacking of brucite-like (hydrophobic) and talc-like (hydrophilic) layers of different polarities. Brucite-like is positive, whereas talc-like is negative. The experimental atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations show that glycine is stably and selectively adsorbed on the brucite-like layer, organized in monolayers with different patterns. The sizes of single molecules of glycine measured by AFM are in agreement with those calculated by QM. Glycine molecules were found to align both at the edges and on the terraces of the brucitic surface. QM simulations confirmed the AFM observations that glycine molecule is adsorbed with high adsorption energy preferentially with its plane parallel to the (001) brucite-like surface. QM also provided the geometry conformation of the molecule and the bonding scheme between glycine and brucite surface. This kind of data can be very helpful both to biotechnological applications of this substrate and to depict some important processes that might have been occurred in prebiotic environments.

Heterogeneous uptake and adsorption of gas-phase formic acid on oxide and clay particle surfaces: the roles of surface hydroxyl groups and adsorbed water in formic acid adsorption and the impact of formic acid adsorption on water uptake

Organic acids in the atmosphere are ubiquitous and are often correlated with mineral dust aerosol. Heterogeneous chemistry and the uptake of organic acids on mineral dust particles can potentially alter the properties of the particle. In this study, heterogeneous uptake and reaction of formic acid, HCOOH, the most abundant carboxylic acid present in the atmosphere, on oxide and clays of the most abundant elements, Si and Al, present in the Earth's crust are investigated under dry and humid conditions. In particular, quantitative adsorption measurements using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) coupled with spectroscopic studies using Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy are combined to allow for both quantification of the amount of uptake and identification of distinct adsorbed species formed on silica, alumina, and kaolinite particle surfaces at 298 K. These oxides and clay particles show significant differences in the extent and speciation of adsorbed HCOOH due to inherent differences in surface -OH group reactivity. Adsorbed water, controlled by relative humidity, can increase the irreversible uptake of formic acid. Interestingly, the resulting layer of adsorbed formate on the particle surface decreases the particle hydrophilicity thereby decreasing the amount of water taken up by the surface as measured by QCM. Atmospheric implications of this study are discussed.

⁷³Ge, ¹⁷O and ²⁹Si hyperfine interactions of the Ge E'₁ center in crystalline SiO₂

E' centers as fundamental radiation-induced defects in amorphous and crystalline SiO2 have been thought to be related to oxygen vacancies for >50years. However, direct proof for oxygen vacancies from experimental (17)O hyperfine data has never been provided. In this contribution, we report on the most complete set of spin Hamiltonian parameter matrices g, A((73)Ge), P((73)Ge), A((17)O), and A((29)Si) for the Ge analog of the classic E1(') center (denoted GeE1(')), determined from single-crystal electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analyses of two fast-electron-irradiated, Ge-doped α-quartz samples, including one grown from (17)O-enriched water. These experimental data, particularly the three distinct matrices A((17)O), not only confirm the GeE1(') center to represent spin trapping on a substitutional Ge atom coordinated to three nonequivalent nearest-neighbor O atoms (i.e., the GeO moiety involving an oxygen vacancy) and two next-nearest-neighbor Si atoms but also permit determination of the spin population on all of these atoms. These EPR data also have been evaluated by periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations to demonstrate that the widely popular single-oxygen-vacancy V(O)(+) model for the GeE1(') center cannot account for A((17)O) arising from three nonequivalent nearest-neighbor oxygen atoms. A new tri-vacancy with an Al impurity model V(SiO2)(Al), on the other hand, reproduces all the EPR experimental hyperfine matrices A((73)Ge), A((17)O), and A((29)Si) and explains the common associations of the E' centers with both Al related defects and superoxide/peroxy radicals in quartz and amorphous silica.

Consistent Gaussian basis sets of triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for solid-state calculations

Consistent basis sets of triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for main group elements and transition metals from row one to three have been derived for periodic quantum-chemical solid-state calculations with the crystalline-orbital program CRYSTAL. They are based on the def2-TZVP basis sets developed for molecules by the Ahlrichs group. Orbital exponents and contraction coefficients have been modified and reoptimized, to provide robust and stable self-consistant field (SCF) convergence for a wide range of different compounds. We compare results on crystal structures, cohesive energies, and solid-state reaction enthalpies with the modified basis sets, denoted as pob-TZVP, with selected standard basis sets available from the CRYSTAL basis set database. The average deviation of calculated lattice parameters obtained with a selected density functional, the hybrid method PW1PW, from experimental reference is smaller with pob-TZVP than with standard basis sets, in particular for metallic systems. The effects of basis set expansion by diffuse and polarization functions were investigated for selected systems.

Electronic properties and reactivity of simulated Fe(3+) and Cr(3+) substituted α-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surface

Metal oxide based minerals naturally contain transition metal impurities isomorphically substituted into the structure that can alter the structural and electronic properties as well as the reactivity of these metal oxides. Natural α-Al(2)O(3) (corundum) can contain up to 9.17% (w/w) Fe(2)O(3) and 1.81% (w/w) of Cr(2)O(3.) Here we report on changes in the structural and electronic properties of undoped and doped α-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surfaces using periodic density functional theory (DFT) methods with spin unrestricted B3LYP functional and a local atomic basis set. Both structural and electronic properties are altered upon doping. Implications for doping effects on photochemical processes are discussed.As metal oxides are major components of the environment, including atmospheric mineral aerosol, DFT was also used to study the effect of transition metal impurities on gas/surface interactions of a model acidic atmospheric gas molecule, carbon monoxide (CO). The theoretical results indicated that the presence of Fe(3+) and Cr(3+) impurities substituted on the outer layer of natural corundum surfaces reduces the propensity toward CO adsorption relative to the undoped surface. However, CO-surface interactions resemble that of bulk α-Al(2)O(3) when the impurity is substituted below the first surface layer. The presence and location of the mineral dopant was found to significantly alter the structural and electronic properties and gas/surface interactions studied here.

The ionic conductivity in lithium-boron oxide materials and its relation to structural, electronic and defect properties: insights from theory

We review recent theoretical studies on ion diffusion in (Li(2)O)(x)(B(2)O(3))(1-x) compounds and at the interfaces of Li(2)O :B(2)O(3) nanocomposite. The investigations were performed theoretically using DFT and HF/DFT hybrid methods with VASP and CRYSTAL codes. For the pure compound B(2)O(3), it was theoretically confirmed that the low-pressure phase B(2)O(3)-I has space group P3(1)21. For the first time, the structure, stability and electronic properties of various low-index surfaces of trigonal B(2)O(3)-I were investigated at the same theoretical level. The (101) surface is the most stable among the considered surfaces. Ionic conductivity was investigated systematically in Li(2)O, LiBO(2), and Li(2)B(4)O(7) solids and in Li(2)O:B(2)O(3) nanocomposites by calculating the activation energy (E(A)) for cation diffusion. The Li(+) ion migrates in an almost straight line in Li(2)O bulk whereas it moves in a zig-zag pathway along a direction parallel to the surface plane in Li(2)O surfaces. For LiBO(2), the migration along the c direction (E(A) = 0.55 eV) is slightly less preferable than that in the xy plane (E(A) = 0.43-0.54 eV). In Li(2)B(4)O(7), the Li(+) ion migrates through the large triangular faces of the two nearest oxygen five-vertex polyhedra facing each other where E(A) is in the range of 0.27-0.37 eV. A two-dimensional model system of the Li(2)O :B(2)O(3) interface region was created by the combination of supercells of the Li(2)O (111) surface and the B(2)O(3) (001) surface. It was found that the interface region of the Li(2)O:B(2)O(3) nanocomposite is more defective than Li(2)O bulk, which facilitates the conductivity in this region. In addition, the activation energy (E(A )) for local hopping processes is smaller in the Li(2)O :B(2)O(3) nanocomposite compared to the Li(2)O bulk. This confirms that the Li(2)O:B(2)O(3) nanocomposite shows enhanced conductivity along the phase boundary compared to that in the nanocrystalline Li(2)O.

Theoretical analysis of structural, energetic, electronic, and defect properties of Li2O

The structural, energetic, and electronic properties of stoichiometric and defective Li(2)O were studied theoretically. The reliability of the Perdew-Wang method in the framework of density functional theory (DFT), and of two DFT/Hartree-Fock hybrid methods (PW1PW and B3LYP), was examined by comparison of calculated and available experimental data. Atom-centered orbitals and plane waves were used as basis functions for the crystalline orbitals. For both cases, the basis set dependence of calculated properties was investigated. With most of the methods, good agreement with the experimental Li(2)O lattice parameter and cohesive energy was obtained. In accordance with experiment, the analysis of electronic properties shows that Li(2)O is a wide gap insulator. Among the considered methods, the hybrid methods PW1PW and B3LYP give the best agreement with experiment for the band gap. The formation of an isolated cation vacancy defect and an F center in Li(2)O were studied. The effect of local relaxation on the calculated defect formation energies and the defect-induced changes of electronic properties were investigated and compared to available experimental results. The migration of a Li(+) ion in Li(2)O bulk was investigated. The activation energy for the migration of a Li(+) ion from its regular tetrahedral site to an adjacent cation vacancy was calculated, including the effect of local relaxation. The calculated activation barriers, 0.27-0.33 eV, are in excellent agreement with experiment.

Ionic Conductivity of Li2B4O7

The formation and mobility of Li point defects in Li(2)B(4)O(7) are investigated theoretically with periodic quantum chemical calculations. Calculated defect formation energies obtained with a density functional theory/Hartree-Fock hybrid method and with the Perdew-Wang density functional method are compared. The basis set effect is investigated by comparison of results obtained with atom-centered basis functions and plane waves. With both methods only a moderate relaxation is observed for the atoms surrounding the Li defect position. The defect-induced change of electronic properties is investigated by calculating the density of states for the stoichiometric and defective supercells. The activation energy for the movement of a Li(+) ion along the (001) direction is calculated. It is observed that Li(+) ion migrates through a one-dimensional channel formed by the five-vertex lithium-oxygen (LiO(5)) polyhedra. The calculated activation energies are in excellent accord with experiment.

Periodic DFT Study of the Structural and Electronic Properties of Bulk CoAl2O4 Spinel

In this study, structural and electronic properties of CoAl2O4 spinel are investigated for the first time by means of quantum chemical computational tools. Coupling supercell periodic calculations under the density functional theory formalism with a nonempirical quasi-harmonic Debye model, we examine the influence of temperature on the relative stability of several cation distributions of Co2+ and Al3+ over tetrahedral and octahedral interstices of the oxygen sublattice. Our simulations are able to reproduce the experimentally observed trend: (i) the normal spinel is calculated to be the stable structure at static and low-temperature conditions, and (ii) as the temperature increases, the preference of structures with Al3+ at tetrahedral sites (and Co2+ at octahedral sites) is found to progress following an asymptotic conduct. The effects of the cation distributions on geometrical variations of electronic and magnetic properties of CoAl2O4 can be interpreted as dominated by the local behavior of Co2+ at octahedral sites.

Structural and Electronic Properties of Li2B4O7

The reliability of various quantum-chemical approaches for the calculation of bulk properties of lithium tetraborate Li(2)B(4)O(7) was examined. Lattice parameters and the electronic structure obtained with density-functional theory (DFT), with DFT-Hartree-Fock (HF) hybrid methods, and with the semiempirical method MSINDO were compared to available experimental data. We also compared the results at DFT level using different wave functions, either based on linear combinations of atom-centered orbitals (LCAO), or on plane waves, as implemented in the crystalline orbital programs CRYSTAL and VASP. The basis set dependence of calculated properties was investigated for the LCAO method. In the plane wave approach ultrasoft pseudopotentials (US PP), and projector-augmented wave (PAW) potentials were used to represent the core electrons. For all methods under consideration, the calculated Li(2)B(4)O(7) structure parameters are close to each other and agree within a few percent with measured values. A more pronounced method dependence was found for the band structure, the band gap and the cohesive energy. Closest agreement between theoretical and experimental results for the band gap was obtained with the DFT-HF hybrid methods while pure DFT methods underestimate and HF based methods overestimate the measured value. It was found that the calculated band gap strongly depends on the atomic basis set in the LCAO approach. The description of the core electrons considerably affects the cohesive energy obtained with the plane wave approach. Atomic charges based on a Mulliken analysis were compared to effective charges obtained from Raman spectroscopy. Electron density maps are used to analyze the character of B-O and Li-O interactions.

Efficient hybrid density functional calculations in solids: Assessment of the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof screened Coulomb hybrid functional

The present work introduces an efficient screening technique to take advantage of the fast spatial decay of the short range Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange used in the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) screened Coulomb hybrid density functional. The screened HF exchange decay properties and screening efficiency are compared with traditional hybrid functional calculations on solids. The HSE functional is then assessed using 21 metallic, semiconducting, and insulating solids. The examined properties include lattice constants, bulk moduli, and band gaps. The results obtained with HSE exhibit significantly smaller errors than pure density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For structural properties, the errors produced by HSE are up to 50% smaller than the errors of the local density approximation, PBE, and TPSS functionals used for comparison. When predicting band gaps of semiconductors, we found smaller errors with HSE, resulting in a mean absolute error of 0.2 eV (1.3 eV error for all pure DFT functionals). In addition, we present timing results which show the computational time requirements of HSE to be only a factor of 2-4 higher than pure DFT functionals. These results make HSE an attractive choice for calculations of all types of solids.

An ab initio study of structural properties and single vacancy defects in Wurtzite AlN

The cell parameters, bulk moduli and electronic densities-of-states (DOS) of pure and vacancy defect AlN were computed using generalized-gradient approximation (GGA) and hybrid functional (B3LYP) computational methods within both plane wave-pseudopotential and localized Gaussian basis set approaches. All of the methods studied yielded cell parameters and bulk moduli in reasonable agreement with experiment. The B3LYP functional was also found to predict an optical band gap in excellent agreement with experiment. These methods were subsequently applied to the calculation of the geometry, defect state positions and formation energies of the cation (V(Al)) and anion (V(N)) single vacancy defects. For the V(Al) defect, the plane wave-pseudopotential predicted a significant retraction of the neighboring N away from the vacancy, while for the V(N) defect, only slight relaxations of the surrounding Al atoms towards the vacancy were predicted. For the computed DOS of both vacancy defects, the GGA methods yielded similar features and defect level positions relative to the valence band maximum, while the B3LYP method predicted higher separations between the defect levels and the valence and conduction bands, leading to higher energy occupied defect levels.

Investigations of Nuclear Quadrupole Interaction in BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+

Local environments of divalent europium ions in β-lattice of barium magnesium aluminate, BaMgAl