Papers by Author: Zi Kui Liu

Abstract: In this chapter, the modeling techniques of the thermodynamic and diffusion properties based on density functional theory in ionic materials, specifically oxide ceramic materials or ionic conductor materials are reviewed. Section 1 is the introduction of this book chapter. Section 2 is devoted to introduce the modeling methods of first-principles finite temperature thermodynamics, including quasi-harmonic phonon calculations and the Debye model. In the phonon model, the frozen phonon method, the linear response method, and the newly developed mixed-space method to model ionic polar materials are discussed. Section 3 introduces the general atomic diffusion theory, first-principles transition state calculations (double-well approach), and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the diffusion coefficients in ionic materials. Section 4 discusses some of the recent works of first-principles prediction of the thermodynamic and diffusion properties of ionic materials from our group and in the literature, with a focus on oxides for energy applications. Section 5 summarizes this book chapter.

Abstract: Our activities in predicting diffusion coefficients in fcc, bcc, and hcp solid solutions using first-principles calculations and in liquid using ab initio molecular dynamics are reviewed. These include self-diffusion coefficients [1-4], tracer diffusion coefficients in dilute solutions [5-7], calculation of migration entropy [8], tracer diffusion coefficients in metallic and oxide liquid [9, 10], and effects of vacancy on diffusion of oxygen [11, 12]. The effects of exchange correlation functionals are examined in some cases along with charge transfer between solute and solvent elements. The dominant contribution of diffusion on the effects of Re addition on the creep properties of Ni-base superalloys is discussed [13].

Abstract: A simplified approach to predicting diffusion coefficients directly from first-principles is proposed. In this approach, the atomic jump frequencies are calculated through the Eyring’s reaction rate theory while the temperature dependence of diffusion coefficients are accounted using phonon theory within the quasi-harmonic approximation. The procedure can be applied to both self-diffusion and impurity diffusion coefficients and different crystal systems. Applications to self-diffusion coefficients in fcc Cu, bcc Mo, hcp Mg and impurity diffusion coefficients of Li in fcc Al, W in bcc Mo and Cd in hcp Mg show agreement with experimental measurements.

Abstract: Recent experiments and first-principles calculations in the literature revealed the existence of a C36 laves phase in the Al2Ca-Mg2Ca pseudo-binary system in addition to the C14-Mg2Ca and C15-Al2Ca laves phases. In the present work, special quasirandom structures (SQS) for all three laves phases were constructed. The structures possess local pair and multisite correlation functions that mimic those of the corresponding random structures. First-principles calculations were carried out based on the SQS developed to predict the enthalpy of formation in the Al2Ca-Mg2Ca pseudo-binary system. It was observed that the enthalpy of formation of C36 is very close to that of C14 at the Mg2Ca end and decreases with the addition of small amount of Al, while the enthalpy of formation of C14 increases with the addition of Al. It is thus energetically plausible that C36 is stable in the Al2C- Mg2Ca pseudo-binary system.