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Several decades ago, Mo{sub 2}B was assumed to have an Al{sub 2}Cu-type structure with I4/mcm space group. Using ab initio phonon calculations, we identify the earlier proposed Al{sub 2}Cu-type structure is dynamically unstable at ambient pressure. An energetically more favorable phase with the tetragonal I4/m structure was then predicted by employing frozen-phonon technique. The currently predicted I4/m phase is mechanically and dynamically stable and energetically more favorable than that of the earlier proposed Al{sub 2}Cu-type structure. The electronic structures calculations indicate that Mo{sub 2}B is a metal with several bands crossing the Fermi level. Our analysis indicates that the three-dimensional network of the covalent Mo-B bond is responsible for the ultra-incompressible property of Mo{sub 2}B.
We report the phase stabilization and properties of BiVO{sub 3} (BVO) thin films, grown on (001) SrTiO{sub 3} and LaAlO{sub 3}, using the pulsed laser deposition technique. Bi and V are in 3+ oxidation states as measured by using x-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy. BVO exhibits a Curie-Weiss paramagnetic behaviour and about −26 K Weiss temperature. This demonstrates the presence of a strong correlation effect due to the spin fluctuation. Additionally, these films exhibit a semiconducting behaviour owing to the thermally activated conduction process. A plausible explanation of the observed properties is presented by comparing with the closely related LaVO{sub 3} and other orthovanadates.
Series of compositions with general stoichiometry as Ca{sub 1−x}Zr{sub 1−x}RE{sub 2x}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} (RE = Nd{sup 3+}, Sm{sup 3+}) were prepared by solid state reaction and characterized by powder x-ray diffraction technique to unravel the phase fields in the title systems. The phase fields in CaZrTi{sub 2}O{sub 7−}Nd{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} and CaZrTi{sub 2}O{sub 7−}Sm{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} systems differed significantly at the rareearth rich regions. The common phase fields like zirconolite-2M, zirconolite-4M, cubic perovskite are observed at the zirconolite rich regions of both systems. Depending on the structure of RE{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} phase, the cubic pyrochlore or monoclinic RE{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} phases are observed in the studied system. The observed phase fields in these two systems indicate ionic radius of the rare-earth ion has a dominating role in the phase relations. Further details of the phases and their homogeneity are explained in the text of the manuscript.
URe{sub 2} compound exists in two phases- orthorhombic and hexagonal. The hexagonal phase has been prepared using arc melting and annealingat 500°C for one week, whereas the orthorhombic phase was achieved by annealing the arc melted sample at a temperature 150°C for the same period. High pressure x-ray diffraction studies on these two allotropic forms of URe{sub 2} have been carried out up to ∼15GPa using a diamond anvil cell. Normal compression was observed without any kind of phase transformation; although there is a probability of transformation from the metastable hexagonal to itsstable orthorhombicphase under pressure.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies on phase transitions of the pure liquid crystalline material N-4-methoxybenzylidene-4-butylaniline (MBBA) and mixtures of MBBA and the amphiphile Stearic Acid (StA) show significant changes in the behavior of mixture from pure MBBA, as regards the nematic-isotropic (N-I) transition temperature (T{sub c}) and other thermodynamic parameters like enthalpy, specific heat and activation energy with concentration of StA. In particular, the convexity of the Arrhenius plot in pure MBBA vanishes with StA concentration pointing to the formation of a new, perhaps 'nematic-like', phase in the mixtures.
The improved performance of large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) by the shrinking of devices is becoming difficult due to physical limitations. Here we report, the growth and formation of Fe{sub 3}Si on Si(100) and characterized by x-ray photoemission, UV photoemission and low energy electron diffraction to study the electronic structure. The results revealed that the DO{sub 3} phase formation is exist and photoemission results also support the electron diffraction outcome.
Bi{sub 4}Mg{sub 0.05}V{sub 1.95}O{sub 11−δ} has been synthesized by melt quench technique followed by sintering. The X- ray diffraction pattern confirmed the γ - phase stabilization at room temperature with tetragonal crystal structure. These samples are also investigated by FT-IR and UV/vis spectroscopy to establish the relationship between structural and optical properties.
The structures of stoichiometric compositions AB, A{sub 2}B, and A{sub 3}B for structures, B19, L1{sub 0}, L1{sub 2}, D0{sub 19}, D0{sub 22}, D0{sub 23}, D0{sub 24}, A15, C14, C15 and C36 have been investigated based on the analysis of diagrams in coordinates of space-filling coefficients Ψ on superstructural compression ΔΩ/Ω. On the basis of the analysis of the abovementioned diagrams, the equation Ψ = f{sub 0}+f{sub 1}(ΔΩ/Ω) has been obtained, and coefficients f{sub 0} and f{sub 1} of the equation for the investigated structures have been determined. It has been established that values of coefficients f{sub 0} and f{sub 1} for Laves phases have higher values than for all other compounds.
The research is devoted to study the structural condition and their evolution from the surface to the depth of TiNi specimens treated by low-energy high-current electron beams with surface melting at a beam energy density E = 10 J/cm{sup 2}, number of pulses N = 10, and pulse duration τ = 50 μs. Determined thickness of the remelted layer, found that it has a layered structure in which each layer differs in phase composition and structural phase state. Refinement B2 phase lattice parameters in local areas showed the presence of strong inhomogeneous lattice strain.
Ca{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}Ti{sub 5}O{sub 16} ceramics processed via mix oxide route was investigated. Phase composition and microwave dielectric properties were measured using X-ray diffraction and a cavity method, respectively. CeO{sub 2} and another unidentified phase (that vanishes at ≥1400°C) existed as secondary phases along with the parent Ca{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}Ti{sub 5}O{sub 16} phase. The amount of the parent Ca{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}Ti{sub 5}O{sub 16} phase increased with increasing sintering temperature from 1350°C to 1450 °C accompanied by a decrease in the apparent density. The density decreased but ε{sub r} and Qufo increased with sintering temperature. An ε{sub r} ∼87.2, Qufo ∼5915 GHz and τ{sub f} ∼219 GHz was achieved for the sample sintered at 1450°C.
Structural phase transformations in (100)-oriented Pb(In{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}-Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-PbTiO{sub 3} single crystals have been investigated by X-ray diffraction. A cubic (C) → tetragonal (T) → monoclinic-C (M{sub C}) transformation sequence was observed in the field-cooled condition. Two phase coexistence regions of C + T and T + M{sub C} were found. In addition to an increase in the C → T phase transition temperature and a decrease of the T → M{sub C} one, a broadening of the coexistence regions was also found with increasing field. This broadening can be explained by the presence of polar nano regions within the C, T, and M{sub C} phase regions.
The direct phase coexistence method is used for the determination of the three-phase coexistence line of sI methane hydrates. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are carried out in the isothermal–isobaric ensemble in order to determine the coexistence temperature (T{sub 3}) at four different pressures, namely, 40, 100, 400, and 600 bar. Methane bubble formation that results in supersaturation of water with methane is generally avoided. The observed stochasticity of the hydrate growth and dissociation processes, which can be misleading in the determination of T{sub 3}, is treated with long simulations in the range of 1000–4000 ns and a relatively large number of independent runs. Statistical averaging of 25 runs per pressure results in T{sub 3} predictions that are found to deviate systematically by approximately 3.5 K from the experimental values. This is in good agreement with the deviation of 3.15 K between the prediction of TIP4P/Ice water force field used and the experimental melting temperature of ice Ih. The current results offer the most consistent and accurate predictions from MD simulation for the determination of T{sub 3} of methane hydrates. Methane solubility values are also calculated at the predicted equilibrium conditions and are found in good agreement with continuum-scale models.
Most of the two dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) are nonmagnetic in pristine form. However, 2D pristine VX{sub 2} (X = S, Se, Te) materials are found to be ferromagnetic. Using spin polarized density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have studied the electronic, magnetic, and surface properties of this class of materials in both trigonal prismatic H- and octahedral T-phase. Our calculations reveal that they exhibit materially different properties in those two polymorphs. Most importantly, detailed investigation of electronic structure explored the quantum size effect in H-phase of these materials thereby leading to metal to semimetal (H-VS{sub 2}) or semiconductor (H-VSe{sub 2}) transition when downsizing from bilayer to corresponding monolayer.
A binary mixture of abietic acid and orthophosphoric acid (H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}) exhibits co-existence of biphasic region of Nematic+Isotropic (N+I), lyotropic Nematic (ND) and Smectic-G (SmG) phases. The mixture exhibits N+I, N and SmG phases at different concentrations and at different temperatures. Mixtures with all concentrations of abietic acid exhibit I→N+I→N→SmG phases sequentially when the specimen is cooled from its isotropic melt. These phases have been characterized by using differential scanning calorimetric, X-ray diffraction, and optical texture studies.
The fluid phase diagram of trimer particles composed of one central attractive bead and two repulsive beads was determined as a function of simple geometric parameters using flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods. A variety of self-assembled structures were obtained including spherical micelle-like clusters, elongated clusters, and densely packed cylinders, depending on both the state conditions and shape of the trimer. Advanced simulation techniques were employed to determine transitions between self-assembled structures and macroscopic phases using thermodynamic and structural definitions. Simple changes in particle geometry yield dramatic changes in phase behavior, ranging from macroscopic fluid phase separation to molecular-scale self-assembly. In special cases, both self-assembled, elongated clusters and bulk fluid phase separation occur simultaneously. Our work suggests that tuning particle shape and interactions can yield superstructures with controlled architecture.
Fe-based Fe{sub 85}B{sub 15}, Fe{sub 84}B{sub 15}Cu{sub 1}, Fe{sub 82}Si{sub 2}B{sub 15}Cu{sub 1}, Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 12}Cu{sub 1}, and Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} (NANOMET{sup ®}) alloys were experimental and computational analyzed to clarify the features of NANOMET that exhibits high saturation magnetic flux density (B{sub s}) nearly 1.9 T and low core loss than conventional nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys. The X-ray diffraction analysis for ribbon specimens produced experimentally by melt spinning from melts revealed that the samples were almost formed into an amorphous single phase. Then, the as-quenched samples were analyzed with differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) experimentally for exothermic enthalpies of the primary and secondary crystallizations (ΔH{sub x1} and ΔH{sub x2}) and their crystallization temperatures (T{sub x1} and T{sub x2}), respectively. The ratio ΔH{sub x1}/ΔH{sub x2} measured by DSC experimentally tended to be extremely high for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy, and this tendency was reproduced by the analysis with commercial software, Thermo-Calc, with database for Fe-based alloys, TCFE7 for Gibbs free energy (G) assessments. The calculations exhibit that a volume fraction (V{sub f}) of α-Fe tends to increase from 0.56 for the Fe{sub 85}B{sub 15} to 0.75 for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy. The computational analysis of the alloys for G of α-Fe and amorphous phases (G{sub α-Fe} and G{sub amor}) shows that a relationship G{sub α-Fe} ∼ G{sub amor} holds for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 12}Cu{sub 1}, whereas G{sub α-Fe} < G{sub amor} for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy at T{sub x1} and that an extremely high V{sub f} = 0.75 was achieved for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy by including 2.8 at. % Si and 4.5 at. % P into α-Fe. These computational results indicate that the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy barely forms amorphous phase, which, in turn, leads to high V{sub f} and resultant high B{sub s}.
Threshold versions of Schloegl’s model on a lattice, which involve autocatalytic creation and spontaneous annihilation of particles, can provide a simple prototype for discontinuous non-equilibrium phase transitions. These models are equivalent to so-called threshold contact processes. A discontinuous transition between populated and vacuum states can occur selecting a threshold of N ≥ 2 for the minimum number, N, of neighboring particles enabling autocatalytic creation at an empty site. Fundamental open questions remain given the lack of a thermodynamic framework for analysis. For a square lattice with N = 2, we show that phase coexistence occurs not at a unique value but for a finite range of particle annihilation rate (the natural control parameter). This generic two-phase coexistence also persists when perturbing the model to allow spontaneous particle creation. Such behavior contrasts both the Gibbs phase rule for thermodynamic systems and also previous analysis for this model. We find metastability near the transition corresponding to a non-zero effective line tension, also contrasting previously suggested critical behavior. Mean-field type analysis, extended to treat spatially heterogeneous states, further elucidates model behavior.