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Abstract: Structural, elastic, electronic and thermal properties of the MAX phase Nb2SiC are studied by means of a pseudo-potential plane-wave method based on the density functional theory. The optimized zero pressure geometrical parameters are in good agreement with the available theoretical data. The effect of high pressure, up to 40 GPa, on the lattice constants shows that the contractions along the -axis were higher than those along the -axis. The elastic constants and elastic wave velocities are calculated for monocrystal Nb2SiC. Numerical estimations of the bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, average sound velocity and Debye temperature for ideal polycrystalline Nb2SiC aggregates are performed in the framework of the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation. The band structure shows that Nb2SiC is an electrical conductor. The analysis of the atomic site projected densities and the charge density distribution shows that the bonding is of covalent–ionic nature with the presence of metallic character. The density of states at Fermi level is dictated by the niobium d states; Si element has a little effect. Thermal effects on some macroscopic properties of Nb2SiC are predicted using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the lattice vibrations are taken into account. The variations of the primitive cell volume, volume expansion coefficient, bulk modulus, heat capacity and Debye temperature with pressure and temperature in the ranges of 0–40 GPa and 0–2000 K are obtained successfully. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The structural, elastic, electronic, optical and thermodynamic properties of the perovskite chloride CsCdCl3 were investigated using the pseudo-potential plane wave (PP-PW) within the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) and Local Density Approximation (LDA). The computed lattice parameter agrees well with experimental and previous theoretical works. Based on the elastic constants and their related parameters, the crystal rigidity and mechanical stability have been discussed. Energy band structure shows that the investigated material is indirect energy band gap semiconductor. The static dielectric constant and static refractive index are indeed, proportional to the fundamental indirect band gap. The thermal effect on the lattice parameter, bulk modulus, volume expansion coefficient, Grüneisen parameter, heat capacities and Debye temperature were predicted using the quasi-harmonic Debye model. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, most of the studied properties are reported for the first time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of the perovskites SrMO3 (M=Ti, and Sn) for different pressure. The computational method is based on the pseudo-potential plane wave method (PP-PW). The exchange-correlation energy is described in the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The calculated equilibrium lattice parameters are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. This work shows that the perovskites SrTiO3, and SrSnO3 are mechanically stable and present an indirect band gaps at the Fermi level. Applied pressure does not change the shape of the total valence electronic charge density and most of the electronic charge density is shifted toward O atom. Furthermore, in order to understand the optical properties of SrMO3, the dielectric function, absorption coefficient, optical reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient and electron energy-loss are calculated for radiation up to 80 eV. The enhancement of pressure decreases the dielectric function and refractive indices of SrTiO3 and SrSnO3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]