Design of defected TaN supercells dataset for structural and elastic properties from ab initio simulations and comparison to experimental data

These data are supplied for supporting their interpretations and discussions provided in the research article "Large influence of vacancies on the elastic constants of cubic epitaxial tantalum nitride layers grown by reactive magnetron sputtering" by Abadias et al. (2020) [doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.11.041]. The datasheet describes the experimental methods used to measure the longitudinal (VL) and transverse (VT) sound velocities of cubic epitaxial TaN/MgO thin films, and their related cubic elastic constants (c11, c12 and c44), by the picosecond laser ultrasonic (PLU) and the Brillouin light scattering (BLS) techniques, respectively. First-principles numerical simulations provide additional data using specifically designed supercells of TaN structures, generated either by hand or using the alloy theoretical automated toolkit (ATAT) method [A. Zunger et al. (1990)], with different configurations (random, cluster and ordered) of defects (Ta and N vacancies). Phonons calculations support discussion of dynamical mechanical stability of defected TaN cubic structures. The data illustrate the huge role of vacancies in elastic properties and phase stability of TaN films.

Cortical bone properties in the Brtl/+ mouse model of Osteogenesis imperfecta as evidenced by acoustic transmission microscopy

Higher skeletal fragility has been established for the Brtl/+ mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta at the whole bone level, but previous investigations of mechanical properties at the bone material level were inconclusive. Bone material was analyzed separately at endosteal (ER) and periosteal regions (PR) on transverse femoral midshaft sections for 2-month old mice (wild-type n = 6; Brtl/+ n = 6). Quantitative backscattered electron imaging revealed that the mass density computed from mineral density maps was higher in PR than in ER for both wild-type (+2.1%, p < 0.05) and Brtl/+ mice (+1.8%, p < 0.05). Electron induced X-ray fluorescence analysis indicated significantly lower atomic Ca/P ratios and higher Na/Ca, Mg/Ca and K/Ca ratios in PR bone compared to ER independently of genotype. Second harmonic generation microscopy indicated that the occurrence of periodically alternating collagen orientation in ER of Brtl/+ mice was strongly reduced compared to wild-type mice. Scanning acoustic microscopy in time of flight mode revealed that the sound velocity and Young's modulus (estimated based on sound velocity and mass density maps) were significantly greater in PR (respectively +6% and +15%) compared to ER in wild-type mice but not in Brtl/+ mice. ER sound velocity and Young's modulus were significantly increased in Brtl/+ mice (+9.4% and +22%, respectively) compared to wild-type mice. These data demonstrate that the Col1a1 G349C mutation in Brtl/+ mice affects the mechanical behavior of bone material predominantly in the endosteal region by altering the collagen orientation.