Convergence of multi-valley bands as the electronic origin of high thermoelectric performance in CoSb3 skutterudites.

Filled skutterudites R(x)Co4Sb12 are excellent n-type thermoelectric materials owing to their high electronic mobility and high effective mass, combined with low thermal conductivity associated with the addition of filler atoms into the void site. The favourable electronic band structure in n-type CoSb3 is typically attributed to threefold degeneracy at the conduction band minimum accompanied by linear band behaviour at higher carrier concentrations, which is thought to be related to the increase in effective mass as the doping level increases. Using combined experimental and computational studies, we show instead that a secondary conduction band with 12 conducting carrier pockets (which converges with the primary band at high temperatures) is responsible for the extraordinary thermoelectric performance of n-type CoSb3 skutterudites. A theoretical explanation is also provided as to why the linear (or Kane-type) band feature is not beneficial for thermoelectrics.

First principles thermodynamical modeling of the binodal and spinodal curves in lead chalcogenides.

High-throughput ab initio calculations, cluster expansion techniques, and thermodynamic modeling have been synergistically combined to characterize the binodal and the spinodal decompositions features in the pseudo-binary lead chalcogenides PbSe-PbTe, PbS-PbTe, and PbS-PbSe. While our results agree with the available experimental data, our consolute temperatures substantially improve with respect to previous computational modeling. The computed phase diagrams corroborate that in ad hoc synthesis conditions the formation of nanostructure may occur justifying the low thermal conductivities in these alloys. The presented approach, making a rational use of online quantum repositories, can be extended to study thermodynamical and kinetic properties of materials of technological interest.

The high-throughput highway to computational materials design.

High-throughput computational materials design is an emerging area of materials science. By combining advanced thermodynamic and electronic-structure methods with intelligent data mining and database construction, and exploiting the power of current supercomputer architectures, scientists generate, manage and analyse enormous data repositories for the discovery of novel materials. In this Review we provide a current snapshot of this rapidly evolving field, and highlight the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Modification of molecular spin crossover in ultrathin films.

Scanning tunneling microscopy and local conductance mapping show spin-state coexistence in bilayer films of Fe[(H2Bpz2)2bpy] on Au(111) that is independent of temperature between 131 and 300 K. This modification of bulk behavior is attributed in part to the unique packing constraints of the bilayer film that promote deviations from bulk behavior. The local density of states measured for different spin states shows that high-spin molecules have a smaller transport gap than low-spin molecules and are in agreement with density functional theory calculations.

First principles study of the permeability of graphene to hydrogen atoms.

Using calculations from first principles and harmonic transition state theory, we investigated the permeability of a single graphene sheet to protons and hydrogen atoms. Our results show that while protons can readily pass through a graphene sheet with a low tunneling barrier, for hydrogen atoms the barriers are substantially higher. At the same time, the presence of defects in the membrane can significantly reduce the penetration barrier in a region that extends beyond the defect site itself.

Electric field induced phase transitions in polymers: a novel mechanism for high speed energy storage.

Using first-principles simulations, we identify the microscopic origin of the nonlinear dielectric response and high energy density of polyvinylidene-fluoride-based polymers as a cooperative transition path that connects nonpolar and polar phases of the system. This path explores a complex torsional and rotational manifold and is thermodynamically and kinetically accessible at relatively low temperatures. Furthermore, the introduction of suitable copolymers significantly alters the energy barriers between phases providing tunability of both the energy density and the critical fields.

Activation of water on the TiO2 (110) surface: the case of Ti adatoms.

Using first-principles calculations we have studied the reactions of water over Ti adatoms on the (110) surface of rutile TiO(2). Our results provide fundamental insights into the microscopic mechanisms that drive this reaction at the atomic level and assess the possibility of using this system to activate the water dissociation reaction. In particular, we show that a single water molecule dissociates exothermically with a small energy barrier of 0.17 eV. After dissociation, both H(+) and OH(-) ions bind strongly to the Ti adatom, which serves as an effective reactive center on the TiO(2) surface. Finally, clustering of Ti adatoms does not improve the redox activity of the system and results in a slightly higher energy barrier for water dissociation.

Relaxation time approximations in PAOFLOW 2.0.

Regardless of its success, the constant relaxation time approximation has limited validity. Temperature and energy dependent effects are important to match experimental trends even in simple situations. We present the implementation of relaxation time approximation models in the calculation of Boltzmann transport in PAOFLOW 2.0 and apply those to model band-structures. In addition, using a self-consistent fitting of the model parameters to experimental conductivity data, we provide a flexible tool to extract scattering rates with high accuracy. We illustrate the approximations using simple models and then apply the method to GaAs, Si, [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text].

Molecular design of photoactive acenes for organic photovoltaics.

Absorption spectra of n-acenes (n from 2 to 6, for naphthalene, anthracene, tetracene, pentacene, and hexacene, respectively) have been calculated using a newly developed code based on time-dependent density-functional theory. Our calculations show that absorption spectra and charge carrier mobility of acenes not only depend on the molecular identity but also on the molecular packing. By designing the interaction between metal substrates and the first layer of acene molecules, they can be packed in a face-to-face fashion instead of the conventional herringbone (face-to-edge) arrangement. Acenes in the cofacial packing would increase the pi-orbital overlap and thus enhance the charge mobility by maximizing electronic coupling between adjacent molecules. Absorption spectra of cofacially packed acenes have a better overlap with the solar spectrum, which allows harvesting more of the solar energy from red photons.

Mechanical Properties of Chemically Modified Clay.

Serpentine clay minerals are found in many geological settings. The rich diversity, both in chemical composition and crystal structure, alters the elastic behavior of clay rocks significantly, thus modifying seismic and sonic responses to shaley sequences. Computation of the elastic properties is a useful tool to characterize this diversity. In this paper we use first principles methods to compare the mechanical properties of lizardite Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4, a polymorph of serpentine family, with the new compounds derived by substituting Mg ions with isovalent elements from different chemical groups. New compounds are first selected according to chemical and geometrical stability criteria, then full elastic tensors, bulk and shear modulii, and acoustic velocities are obtained. Overall, the new compounds have a lower anisotropy and are less resistant to mechanical deformation compared to the prototype, thus providing valuable information regarding chemical composition and mechanical properties in these systems.

Catalytic role of carbons in methane decomposition for CO- and CO2-free hydrogen generation.

Decomposition of methane is an environmentally attractive approach to CO- and CO(2)-free hydrogen production. Using first principles calculations at the density functional theory level, our studies demonstrate that the defective carbons can be used as catalysts for methane decomposition, without the need for other catalysts, such as transition metals or oxides, and the catalytic sites can be regenerated by the deposition of carbon decomposed from methane, to make the hydrogen production a continuous process. Additionally, since no other gases are produced in the process, the cost of CO(2) sequestration and hydrogen purification from CO contamination will be dramatically reduced.

Dielectric properties and Raman spectra of ZnO from a first principles finite-differences/finite-fields approach.

Using first principles calculations based on density functional theory and a coupled finite-fields/finite-differences approach, we study the dielectric properties, phonon dispersions and Raman spectra of ZnO, a material whose internal polarization fields require special treatment to correctly reproduce the ground state electronic structure and the coupling with external fields. Our results are in excellent agreement with existing experimental measurements and provide an essential reference for the characterization of crystallinity, composition, piezo- and thermo-electricity of the plethora of ZnO-derived nanostructured materials used in optoelectronics and sensor devices.

Ab initio thermal transport properties of nanostructures from density functional perturbation theory.

We present a comprehensive first-principles study of the thermal transport properties of low-dimensional nanostructures such as polymers and nanowires. An approach is introduced where the phonon quantum conductance is computed from the combination of accurate plane-wave density functional theory electronic structure calculations, the evaluation of the interatomic force constants through density functional perturbation theory for lattice dynamics, and the calculation of transport properties by a real-space Green's function method based on the Landauer formalism. This approach is computationally very efficient, can be straightforwardly implemented as a post-processing step in a standard electronic structure calculation (Quantum ESPRESSO and WanT in the present implementation), and allows us to directly link the thermal transport properties of a device to the coupling, dimensionality, and atomistic structure of the system. It provides invaluable insight into the mechanisms that govern heat flow at the nanoscale and paves the way to the fundamental understanding of phonon engineering in nanostructures.

Complex materials for molecular spintronics applications: cobalt bis(dioxolene) valence tautomers, from molecules to polymers.

Using first principles calculations, we predict a complex multifunctional behavior in cobalt bis(dioxolene) valence tautomeric compounds. Molecular spin-state switching is shown to dramatically alter electronic properties and corresponding transport properties. This spin state dependence has been demonstrated for technologically relevant coordination polymers of valence tautomers as well as for novel conjugated polymers with valence tautomeric functionalization. As a result, these materials are proposed as promising candidates for spintronic devices that can couple magnetic bistability with novel electrical and spin conduction properties. Our findings pave the way to the fundamental understanding and future design of active multifunctional organic materials for spintronics applications.

Ab initio correlation effects on the electronic and transport properties of metal(II)-phthalocyanine-based devices.

Using first-principles calculations in the framework of density functional theory, we investigated the electronic and transport properties of metal(II)-phthalocyanine (M(II)Pc) systems, both in a single-molecule configuration and in a model device geometry. In particular, using copper(II)-Pc and manganese(II)-Pc as prototypical examples, we studied how electronic correlations on the central metal ion influence the analysis of the electronic structure of the system and we demonstrated that the choice of the exchange-correlation functional, also beyond the standard local or gradient corrected level, is of crucial importance for a correct interpretation of the data. Finally, our electronic transport simulations have shown that M(II)Pc-based devices can act selectively as molecular conductors, as in the case of copper, or as spin valves, as in the case of manganese, demonstrating once more the great potential of these systems for molecular nanoelectronics applications.

Phase equilibria in high energy density PVDF-based polymers.

The phase diagrams of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers with chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) are investigated by first-principles calculations. Both PVDF and dilute P(VDF-CTFE) prefer nonpolar structures at zero field, but transform to a polar phase below the breakdown field. The critical field decreases with increasing CTFE content, facilitating the transformation. In disordered P(VDF-CTFE), a distribution of concentrations leads to a range of polar transitions, resulting in ultrahigh energy density. These results explain well experimental observations of very high-energy density in P(VDF-CTFE).

Band structure and quantum conductance of nanostructures from maximally localized Wannier functions: the case of functionalized carbon nanotubes.

We have combined large-scale, tau-point electronic-structure calculations with the maximally localized Wannier functions approach to calculate efficiently the band structure and the quantum conductance of complex systems containing thousands of atoms while maintaining full first-principles accuracy. We have applied this approach to study covalent functionalizations in metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes. We find that the band structure around the Fermi energy is much less dependent on the chemical nature of the ligands than on the sp(3) functionalization pattern disrupting the conjugation network. Common aryl functionalizations are more stable when paired with saturating hydrogens; even when paired, they still act as strong scattering centers that degrade the ballistic conductance of the nanotubes already at low degrees of coverage.