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Solution-processable semiconductors with antiferromagnetic (AFM) order are attractive for future spintronics and information storage technology. Halide perovskites containing magnetic ions have emerged as multifunctional materials, demonstrating a cross-link between structural, optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. However, stable optoelectronic halide perovskites that are antiferromagnetic remain sparse, and the critical design rules to optimize magnetic coupling still must be developed. Here, we combine the complementary magnetometry and electron-spin-resonance experiments, together with first-principles calculations to study the antiferromagnetic coupling in stable Cs-2(Ag:Na)FeCl6 bulk semiconductor alloys grown by the hydrothermal method. We show the importance of nonmagnetic monovalence ions at the B-I site (Na/Ag) in facilitating the superexchange interaction via orbital hybridization, offering the tunability of the Curie-Weiss parameters between -27 and -210 K, with a potential to promote magnetic frustration via alloying the nonmagnetic B-I site (Ag:Na ratio). Combining our experimental evidence with first-principles calculations, we draw a cohesive picture of the material design for B-site-ordered antiferromagnetic halide double perovskites., Funding Agencies|Energimyndigheten [2022-06725, 2018-05973]; Swedish Research Council [KAW 2019.0082]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [Dnr 48758-1, Dnr 48594-1]; Swedish Energy Agency [2009-00971]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [CTS 20:350]; Carl-Trygger Foundation [2023-05247]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [854843]; ERC [KAW-2018.0194]; Wallenberg Academy Scholar

Phonon-phonon and electron/exciton-phonon coupling play a vitally important role in thermal, electronic, as well as optical properties of metal halide perovskites. In this work, we evaluate phonon anharmonicity and coupling between electronic and vibrational excitations in novel double perovskite Cs2NaFeCl6 single crystals. By employing comprehensive Raman measurements combined with first-principles theoretical calculations, we identify four Raman-active vibrational modes. Polarization properties of these modes imply Fm (3) over barm symmetry of the lattice, indicative for on average an ordered distribution of Fe and Na atoms in the lattice. We further show that temperature dependence of the Raman modes, such as changes in the phonon line width and their energies, suggests high phonon anharmonicity, typical for double perovskite materials. Resonant multiphonon Raman scattering reveals the presence of high-lying band states that mediate strong electron-phonon coupling and give rise to intense nA(1g) overtones up to the fifth order. Strong electron-phonon coupling in Cs2NaFeCl6 is also concluded based on the Urbach tail analysis of the absorption coefficient and the calculated Frohlich coupling constant. Our results, therefore, suggest significant impacts of phonon-phonon and electron-phonon interactions on electronic properties of Cs2NaFeCl6, important for potential applications of this novel material., Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [KAW 2019.0082]; Swedish Energy Agency [48758-1]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoeping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU ) [2009-00971]; Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research [UKR22-0029]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2019-05551]; ERC (synergy grant FAST-CORR project) [854843]; Swedish Research Council [2018-05973]

A family of magnetic halide double perovskites (HDPs) have recently attracted attention due to their potential to broaden application areas of halide double perovskites into, e.g., spintronics. Up to date the theoretical modeling of these systems have relied on primitive approximations to the density functional theory (DFT). In this paper, we study structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the Fe3+-containing HDPs Cs2AgFeCl6 and Cs2NaFeCl6 using a combination of more advanced DFT-based methods, including DFT + U, hybrid-DFT, and treatments of various magnetic states. We examine the effect of varying the effective Hubbard parameter, U-eff, in DFT + U and the mixing-parameter, alpha, in hybrid DFT on the electronic structure and structural properties. Our results reveal a set of localized Fe(d) states that are highly sensitive to these parameters. Cs2AgFeCl6 and Cs2NaFeCl6 are both antiferromagnets with Neel temperatures well below room temperature and are thus in their paramagnetic (PM) state at the external conditions relevant to most applications. Therefore, we have examined the effect of disordered magnetism on the electronic structure of these systems and find that while Cs2NaFeCl6 is largely unaffected, Cs2AgFeCl6 shows significant renormalization of its electronic band structure., Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [KAW 2019.0082]; Wallenberg Academy Scholar [KAW-2018.0194]; Swedish Government [2009-00971]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009-00971]; Swedish Research Council [2019-05551, 2018-05973, 854843]; ERC [2022-06725]

We have performed a comprehensive, first-principles high-throughput study of the magnetic properties of halide double perovskites, Cs2BBCl-6, with magnetic ions occupying one or both B and B sites. Our findings indicate a general tendency for these materials to exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering with low Neel temperatures. At the same time, we reveal a few potential candidates that predicted to be ferromagnetic with relatively high Curie temperatures. Achieving ferromagnetic coupling might be feasible via simultaneously alloying at B and B sites with magnetic 3d and nonmagnetic 5d ions. With this approach, we discover that Cs2HgCrCl6, Cs2AgNiCl6, and Cs2AuNiCl6 have high Curie temperatures relative to their peers, with the latter two exhibiting half metallic behavior. Further, this study illuminates the underpinning mechanism of magnetic exchange interactions in halide double perovskites, enabling a deeper understanding of their magnetic behavior. Our findings, especially the discovery of the compounds with robust half metallic properties and high Curie temperatures, hold promise for potential applications in the field of spintronics., Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [KAW 2019.0082]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoeping University [2009-00971]; Swedish Research Council [2019-05551, 854843, KAW-2018.0194]; ERC [2022-06725]; Wallenberg [2018-05973]

Hydrogenation reactions at gigapascal pressures can yield hydrogen-rich materials with properties relating to superconductivity, ion conductivity, and hydrogen storage. Here, we investigated the ternary Na-Si-H system by computational structure prediction and in situ synchrotron diffraction studies of reaction mixtures NaH-Si-H-2 at 5-10 GPa. Structure prediction indicated the existence of various hypervalent hydridosilicate phases with compositions NamSiH(4+m) (m = 1-3) at comparatively low pressures, 0-20 GPa. These ternary Na-Si-H phases share, as a common structural feature, octahedral SiH62- complexes which are condensed into chains for m = 1 and occur as isolated species for m = 2, 3. In situ studies demonstrated the formation of the double salt Na-3[SiH6]H (Na3SiH7, m = 3) containing both octahedral SiH62- moieties and hydridic H-. Upon formation at elevated temperatures (>500 degrees C), Na3SiH7 attains a tetragonal structure (P4/mbm, Z = 2) which, during cooling, transforms to an orthorhombic polymorph (Pbam, Z = 4). Upon decompression, Pbam-Na3SiH7 was retained to approx. 4.5 GPa, below which a further transition into a yet unknown polymorph occurred. Na3SiH7 is a new representative of yet elusive hydridosilicate compounds. Its double salt nature and polymorphism are strongly reminiscent of fluorosilicates and germanates., Funding Agencies|This research was supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR) through project 2019-06063 and the Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)-German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Grant No. 05K20OLA awarded to HK) and the Deutsche Fo [2019-06063]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [05K20OLA]; Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)-German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [277832266]; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [2019-05551]; VR [2009-00971]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkping University; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [854843]; ERC

K2SiH6, crystallizing in the cubicK(2)PtCl(6) structure type (Fm3 ̅m), features unusual hypervalent SiH6 (2-) complexes. Here, the formation of K2SiH6 athigh pressures is revisited by in situ synchrotron diffraction experiments,considering KSiH3 as a precursor. At the investigated pressures,8 and 13 GPa, K2SiH6 adopts the trigonal (NH4)(2)SiF6 structure type (P3 ̅m1) upon formation. The trigonal polymorphis stable up to 725 & DEG;C at 13 GPa. At room temperature, the transitioninto an ambient pressure recoverable cubic form occurs below 6.7 GPa.Theory suggests the existence of an additional, hexagonal, variantin the pressure interval 3-5 GPa. According to density functionaltheory band structure calculations, K2SiH6 isa semiconductor with a band gap around 2 eV. Nonbonding H-dominatedstates are situated below and Si-H anti-bonding states arelocated above the Fermi level. Enthalpically feasible and dynamicallystable metallic variants of K2SiH6 may be obtainedwhen substituting Si partially by Al or P, thus inducing p- and n-typemetallicity, respectively. Yet, electron-phonon coupling appearsweak, and calculated superconducting transition temperatures are <1K. The formation of K2SiH6 at high pressuresstarting from KSiH3 or mixtures of KH and KSiH3 is investigated by in situ synchrotron diffraction experiments.Between 6.5 and 13 GPa, K2SiH6 adopts the trigonal(NH4)(2)SiF6 structure type (P3 ̅m1), which is stable up to 725 & DEG;C at 13 GPa. At room temperature, the transition into an ambientpressure-recoverable cubic form occurs below 6.5 GPa., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2019-06063]; Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)-German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [05K20OLA]; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [277832266]; BMBF [05K16WC2, 05K13WC2]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [854843]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; ERC (synergy grant FASTCORR project) [2019-05551]; [2009-00971]; [2022-06725]; [2018-05973]; Swedish Research Council [2019-06063] Funding Source: Swedish Research Council

The solid Earths inner core (IC) is a sphere with a radius of about 1300 km in the center of the Earth. The information about the IC comes mainly from seismic studies. The composition of the IC is obtained by matching the seismic data and properties of candidate phases subjected to high pressure (P) and temperature (T). The close match between the density of the IC and iron suggests that the main constituent of the IC is iron. However, the stable phase of iron is still a subject of debate. One such iron phase, the body-centered cubic phase (bcc), is dynamically unstable at pressures of the IC (330-364 GPa) and low T but gets stabilized at high T characteristic of the IC (5000-7000 K). So far, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) studies attempted to compute the bcc elastic properties for a small (order of 102) number of atoms. The mechanism of the bcc stabilization cannot be enabled in such cells and that has led to erroneous results. Here we apply AIMD to compute elastic moduli and sound velocities of the Fe bcc phase for a 2000 Fe atom computational cell, which is a cell of unprecedented size for ab initio calculations of iron. Unlike in previous ab initio calculations, both the longitudinal and the shear sound velocities of the Fe bcc phase closely match the properties of the IC material at P = 360 GPa and T = 6600 K, likely the PT conditions in the IC. The calculated density of the bcc iron at these PT conditions is just 3% higher than the density of the IC material according to the Preliminary Earth Model. This suggests that the widely assumed amount of light elements in the IC may need a reconsideration. The anisotropy of the bcc phase is an exact match to the most recent seismic studies., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2019-05551, 2017-03744, 2019-06063]; Olle Engkvist Byggmastare Foundation; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; ERC [854843]; Swedish Research Council [2016-07213]

We show that elastic moduli of higher (third and fourth) order of prestressed single crystals at high pressure, obtained from the Gibbs free energy, enter the relation between the Cauchy stress and Lagrange finite-strain tensor the same way they do for the second-order elastic moduli and, therefore, directly describe the nonlinear elasticity of prestressed crystals., Funding Agencies|Russian Foundation for Basic Research [19- 02-00871]; Russian Science Foundation [18-12-00492]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2019-05551]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; ERC (Synergy Grant FAST- CORR) [854843]

Layered zinc hydroxides (LZHs) with the general formula (Zn2+)(x)(OH-)(2x-my ),(A(m-))(y)center dot nH(2)O (A(m-) = Cl- , NO3- , ac(-) , SO42-, etc) are considered as useful precursors for the fabrication of functional ZnO nanostructures. Here, we report the synthesis and structure characterization of the hitherto unknown "binary" representative of the LZH compound family, Zn-5(OH)(10)center dot 2H(2)O, with A(m-) = OH- , x = 5, y = 2, and n = 2. Zn-5(OH)(10)center dot 2H(2)O was afforded quantitatively by pressurizing mixtures of epsilon-Zn(OH)(2) (wulfingite) and water to 1-2 GPa and applying slightly elevated temperatures, 100-200 degrees C. The monoclinic crystal structure was characterized from powder X-ray diffraction data (space group C2/c, a = 15.342(7) angstrom, b = 6.244(6) angstrom, c = 10.989(7) angstrom, beta = 100.86(1)degrees). It features neutral zinc hydroxide layers, composed of octahedrally and tetrahedrally coordinated Zn ions with a 3:2 ratio, in which H2O is intercalated. The interlayer d(200) distance is 7.53 angstrom. The H-bond structure of Zn-5(OH)(10)center dot 2H(2)O was analyzed by a combination of infrared/Raman spectroscopy, computational modeling, and neutron powder diffraction. Interlayer H2O molecules are strongly H-bonded to five surrounding OH groups and appear orientationally disordered. The decomposition of Zn-5(OH)(10)center dot 2H(2)O, which occurs thermally between 70 and 100 degrees C, was followed in an in situ transmission electron microscopy study and ex situ annealing experiments. It yields initially 5-15 nm sized hexagonal w-ZnO crystals, which, depending on the conditions, may intergrow to several hundred nm-large two-dimensional, flakelike crystals within the boundary of original Zn-5(OH)(10)center dot 2H(2)O particles., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR)Swedish Research Council [2016-04413, 2019-05551]; Stiftelsen Olle Engkvist Byggmastare (SOEB); Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) within the Swedish National Graduate School in neutron scattering (SwedNess); Swedish Government Strategic Research Area Grant in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]

Lead-free halide double perovskites (A(2)B(I)B(III)X(6)) with attractive optical and electronic features are considered to be a promising candidate to overcome the toxicity and stability issues of lead halide perovskites (APbX(3)). However, their poor absorption profiles limit device performance. Here the absorption band edge of Cs(2)AgBiBr(6)double perovskite to the near-infrared range is significantly broadened by developing doped double perovskites, Cs-2(Ag:Cu)BiBr6. The partial replacement of Ag ions by Cu ions in the crystal lattice is confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) measurements. Cu doping barely affects the bandgap of Cs2AgBiBr6; instead it introduces subbandgap states with strong absorption to the near-infrared range. More interestingly, the near-infrared absorption can generate band carriers upon excitation, as indicated by the photoconductivity measurement. This work sheds new light on the absorption modulation of halide double perovskites for future efficient optoelectronic devices., Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationKnut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation [KAW 2019.0082]; Swedish Energy AgencySwedish Energy Agency [2018-004357]; Grant Agency of the Czech RepublicGrant Agency of the Czech Republic [GA19-05259S]; VR Starting Grant [2019-05279]; Carl Tryggers Stiftelse; Olle Engkvist Byggmastare Stiftelse; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]; China Scholarship Council (CSC)China Scholarship Council; Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation of NUST "MISIS" [K2-2019-001, 211]; Swedish Research Council (VR)Swedish Research Council [2019-05551]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [2016-07213]

Using ab initio calculations, we have analyzed the influence of anharmonic effects on the electronic structure and the phonon-dispersion relations of body-centered-cubic (bcc) niobium (Nb) and investigated the temperature dependence of the Kohn anomaly in this metal. A comparison of the results obtained in the framework of the temperature-dependent effective potential method with those derived within the quasiharmonic approximation demonstrates the importance of the explicit treatment of the finite-temperature effects upon the theoretical description of bcc Nb lattice dynamics. In agreement with experimental results, the inclusion of anharmonic vibrations in our calculations leads to the disappearance of the Kohn anomaly for the acoustic mode in a vicinity of the Gamma point with increasing temperature. Moreover, the calculated phonon self-energy indicates that the origin of the temperature dependence is related to the change of the electronic structure. We have calculated the temperature dependence of the electronic spectral function and analyzed the Fermi surface of Nb. A significant temperature-induced smearing of the electronic states has been identified as the origin of the disappearance of the Kohn anomaly in Nb at elevated temperature., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR)Swedish Research Council [2015-04391, 2019-05551]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Wallenberg Scholar Grant) [KAW-2018.0194]; Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF)Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research [EM16-0004]; Russian Science FoundationRussian Science Foundation (RSF) [18-12-00492]

The lead-free halide double perovskite class of materials offers a promising venue for resolving issues related to toxicity of Pb and long-term stability of the lead-containing halide perovskites. We present a first-principles study of the lattice vibrations in Cs2AgBiBr6, the prototypical compound in this class and show that the lattice dynamics of Cs2AgBiBr6 is highly anharmonic, largely in regards to tilting of AgBr6 and BiBr6 octahedra. Using an energy- and temperature-dependent phonon spectral function, we then show how the experimentally observed cubic-to-tetragonal phase transformation is caused by the collapse of a soft phonon branch. We finally reveal that the softness and anharmonicity of Cs2AgBiBr6 yield an ultralow thermal conductivity, unexpected of high-symmetry cubic structures., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR)Swedish Research Council [2019-05551]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Advanced Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]; Swedish e-science Research Centre (SeRC); Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Wallenberg Scholar Grant) [KAW-2018.0194]; Ministry of Science and High Education of the Russian Federation of National University of Science and Technology (NUST) "MISIS" [K2-2019-001, 211]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [2016-07213]

Environmentally friendly halide double perovskites with improved stability are regarded as a promising alternative to lead halide perovskites. The benchmark double perovskite, Cs2AgBiBr6, shows attractive optical and electronic features, making it promising for high-efficiency optoelectronic devices. However, the large band gap limits its further applications, especially for photovoltaics. Herein, we develop a novel crystal-engineering strategy to significantly decrease the band gap by approximately 0.26 eV, reaching the smallest reported band gap of 1.72 eV for Cs(2)AgBiBr(6)under ambient conditions. The band-gap narrowing is confirmed by both absorption and photoluminescence measurements. Our first-principles calculations indicate that enhanced Ag-Bi disorder has a large impact on the band structure and decreases the band gap, providing a possible explanation of the observed band-gap narrowing effect. This work provides new insights for achieving lead-free double perovskites with suitable band gaps for optoelectronic applications., Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationKnut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation; Swedish Energy AgencySwedish Energy Agency [2018-004357]; VR Starting Grant [2019-05279]; Carl Tryggers Stiftelse; Olle Engkvist Byggmastare Stiftelse; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]; Swedish Energy AgencySwedish Energy Agency; SSFSwedish Foundation for Strategic Research; China Scholarship Council (CSC)China Scholarship Council; Ministry of Science and High Education of the Russian Federation [075-15-2019-872 (14.Y26.31.0027/074-02-2018-327)]; Swedish Research Council (VR)Swedish Research Council [2019-05551]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [2016-07213]

The formation of ternary hydrogen-rich hydrides involving the first-row transition metals TM = Fe and Co in high oxidation states is demonstrated from in situ synchrotron diffraction studies of reaction mixtures NaH-TM-H-2 at p approximate to 10 GPa. Na3FeH7 and Na3CoH6 feature pentagonal bipyramidal FeH73- and octahedral CoH63- 18-electron complexes, respectively. At high pressure, high temperature (300 < T <= 470 degrees C) conditions, metal atoms are arranged as in the face-centered cubic Heusler structure, and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the complexes undergo reorientational dynamics. Upon cooling, subtle changes in the diffraction patterns evidence reversible and rapid phase transitions associated with ordering of the complexes. During decompression, Na3FeH7 and Na3CoH6 transform to tetragonal and orthorhombic low pressure forms, respectively, which can be retained at ambient pressure. The discovery of Na3FeH7 and Na3CoH6 establishes a consecutive series of homoleptic hydrogen-rich complexes for first-row transition metals from Cr to Ni., Funding Agencies|Swedish Government Strategic Research Area Grant in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]; Carl Tryggers Stiftelse (CTS) [16:198, 17:206]

The electronic structure of cerium oxide is investigated here using a combination of ab initio one-electron theory and elements from many-body physics, with emphasis on the nature of the 4f electron shell of cerium ions. We propose to use the hybridization function as a convenient measure for the degree of localization of the 4f shell of this material, and observe that changing the oxidation state is related to distinct changes in the hybridization between the 4f shell and ligand states. The theory reveals that CeO2 has essentially itinerant 4f states, and that in the least oxidized form of ceria, Ce2O3, the 4f states are almost (but not fully) localized. This conclusion is supported by additional calculations based on a combination of density functional theory and dynamical mean field theory. Most importantly, our model points to the fact that diffusion of oxygen vacancies in cerium oxide may be seen as polaron hopping, involving a correlated 4f electron cloud, which is located primarily on Ce ions of several atomic shells surrounding the vacancy., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council; Foundation for strategic research (SSF)Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research; eSSENCE; Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundationKnut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation; VR project [2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]; JRG Program at APCTP through the Science and Technology Promotion Fund of the Korean Government; Korean Local Government-Gyeongsangbuk-do Province; Korean Local Government-Pohang City; STandUP; JRG Program at APCTP through the Lottery Fund of the Korean Government

Marcin Mazdziarz has published a comment on our recent paper by I. Mosyagin, A.V. Lugovskoy, O.M. Krasilnikov, Yu.Kh. Vekilov, S.I. Simak and L.A. Abrikosov titled "Ab initio calculations of pressure dependence of high-order elastic constants using finite deformations approach" [Computer Physics Communications 220 (2017)2030]. The author states that there are serious fundamental errors and flaws. In this reply we clarify all misunderstanding mentioned in the said comment. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council [2015-04391, 2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]; Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [K2-2017-080, 14.Y26.31.0005]

The structural and vibrational properties of ammonium borohydride, NH4BH4, have been examined by first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations and inelastic neutron scattering (INS). The H disordered crystal structure of NH4BH4 is composed of the tetrahedral complex ions NH4+ and BH4-, which are arranged as in the fcc NaCl structure and linked by intermolecular dihydrogen bonding. Upon cooling, the INS spectra revealed a structural transition between 45 and 40 K. The reversible transition occurs upon heating between 46 and 49 K. In the low-temperature form reorientational dynamics are frozen. The libration modes for BH4- and NH4+ are near 300 and 200 cm(-1), respectively. Upon entering the fcc high-temperature form, NH4+ ions attain fast reorientational dynamics, as indicated in the disappearance of the NH4+ libration band, whereas BH4- ions become significantly mobile only at temperatures above 100 K. The vibrational behavior of BH4- ions in NH4BH4 compares well to the heavier alkali metal borohydrides, NaBH4-CsBH4. DFT calculations revealed a nondirectional nature of the dihydrogen bonding in NH4BH4 with only weak tendency for long-range order. Different rotational configurations of complex ions appear quasi-degenerate, which is reminiscent of glasses., Funding Agencies|Nordforsk within the project FunHy; Swedish research council (VR)Swedish Research Council; Carl Tryggers Stiftelse (CTS) for Vetenskaplig Forskning; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Advanced Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]

Recent theoretical investigations [A. B. Belonoshko et aL Nat. Geosci. 10, 312 (2017)] revealed the occurrence of the concerted migration of several atoms in bcc Fe at inner-core temperatures and pressures. Here, we combine first-principles and semiempirical atomistic simulations to show that a diffusion mechanism analogous to the one predicted for bcc iron at extreme conditions is also operative and of relevance for the high-temperature bcc phase of pure Ti at ambient pressure. The mechanism entails a rapid collective movement of numerous (from two to dozens) neighbors along tangled closed-loop paths in defect-free crystal regions. We argue that this phenomenon closely resembles the diffusion behavior of superionics and liquid metals. Furthermore, we suggest that concerted migration is the atomistic manifestation of vanishingly small co-mode phonon frequencies previously detected via neutron scattering and the mechanism underlying anomalously large and markedly non-Arrhenius self-diffusivities characteristic of bcc Ti., Funding Agencies|Olle Engkvist Foundation; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2015-04391, 2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFOMat-LiU) [2009-00971]; VINN Excellence Center Functional Nanoscale Materials (FunMat-2) [2016-05156]

Lead-free halide double perovskites with diverse electronic structures and optical responses, as well as superior material stability show great promise for a range of optoelectronic applications. However, their large bandgaps limit their applications in the visible light range such as solar cells. In this work, an efficient temperature-derived bandgap modulation, that is, an exotic fully reversible thermochromism in both single crystals and thin films of Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskites is demonstrated. Along with the thermochromism, temperature-dependent changes in the bond lengths of Ag Symbol of the Klingon Empire Br (R-Ag Symbol of the Klingon Empire Br) and Bi Symbol of the Klingon Empire Br (R-Bi Symbol of the Klingon Empire Br) are observed. The first-principle molecular dynamics simulations reveal substantial anharmonic fluctuations of the R-Ag Symbol of the Klingon Empire Br and R-Bi Symbol of the Klingon Empire Br at high temperatures. The synergy of anharmonic fluctuations and associated electron-phonon coupling, and the peculiar spin-orbit coupling effect, is responsible for the thermochromism. In addition, the intrinsic bandgap of Cs2AgBiBr6 shows negligible changes after repeated heating/cooling cycles under ambient conditions, indicating excellent thermal and environmental stability. This work demonstrates a stable thermochromic lead-free double perovskite that has great potential in the applications of smart windows and temperature sensors. Moreover, the findings on the structure modulation-induced bandgap narrowing of Cs2AgBiBr6 provide new insights for the further development of optoelectronic devices based on the lead-free halide double perovskites., Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; National Natural Science Foundation of China [61704078, 61722403]; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China [BK20160990]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [200900971]; European Commission Marie Skodowska-Curie actions [691210]; European Commission SOLAR-ERA.NET; Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten); Swedish Research Council (FORMAS); China Scholarship Council; Recruitment Program of Global Youth Experts in China; National Key Research and Development Program of China [2016YFB0201204]; Program for JLU Science and Technology Innovative Research Team; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-4750]; Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [074-02-2018-327]

The Earths solid inner core is a highly attenuating medium. It consists mainly of iron. The high attenuation of sound wave propagation in the inner core is at odds with the widely accepted paradigm of hexagonal close-packed phase stability under inner core conditions, because sound waves propagate through the hexagonal iron without energy dissipation. Here we show by first-principles molecular dynamics that the body-centered cubic phase of iron, recently demonstrated to be thermodynamically stable under the inner core conditions, is considerably less elastic than the hexagonal phase. Being a crystalline phase, the body-centered cubic phase of iron possesses the viscosity close to that of a liquid iron. The high attenuation of sound in the inner core is due to the unique diffusion characteristic of the body-centered cubic phase. The low viscosity of iron in the inner core enables the convection and resolves a number of controversies., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2013-5767, 2014-4750, 2017-03744]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [11804175]; Olle Engkvist Byggmastare Foundation; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-MatLiU) [2009 00971]; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [CGL2013-41860-P, CGL2017-86070-R]

The complex transition metal hydride Mg3CrH8 has been previously synthesized using high pressure conditions. It contains the first group 6 homoleptic hydrido complex, [Cr(II)H-7](5-). Here, we investigated the formation of Mg3CrH8 by in situ studies of reaction mixtures of 3MgH(2)-Cr-H-2 at 5 GPa. The formation of the known orthorhombic form (o-Mg3CrH8) was noticed at temperatures above 635 degrees C, albeit at a relatively slow rate. At temperatures around 750 degrees C a high temperature phase formed rapidly, which upon slow cooling converted into o-Mg3CrH8. The phase transition at high pressures occurred reversibly at similar to 735 degrees C upon heating and at similar to 675 degrees C upon slow cooling. Upon rapid cooling, a monoclinic polymorph (m-Mg3CrH8) was afforded which could be subsequently recovered and analyzed at ambient pressure. m-Mg3CrH8 was found to crystallize in P2(1)/n space group (a = 5.128 angstrom, b = 16.482 angstrom, c = 4.805 angstrom, beta = 90.27 degrees). Its structure elucidation from high resolution synchrotron powder diffraction data was aided by first-principles DFT calculations. Like the orthorhombic polymorph, m-Mg3CrH8 contains pentagonal bipyramidal complexes [CrH7](5-) and interstitial H-. The arrangement of metal atoms and interstitial H- resembles closely that of the high pressure orthorhombic form of Mg3MnH7. This suggests similar principles of formation and stabilization of hydrido complexes at high pressure and temperature conditions in the Mg-Cr-H and Mg-Mn-H systems. Calculated enthalpy versus pressure relations predict o-Mg3CrH8 being more stable than m-Mg3CrH8 by 6.5 kJ/mol at ambient pressure and by 13 kJ/mol at 5 GPa. The electronic structure of m-Mg3CrH8 is very similar to that of o-Mg3CrH8. The stable 18-electron complex [CrH7](5-) is mirrored in the occupied states, and calculated band gaps are around 1.5 eV., Funding Agencies|Swedish Government Strategic Research Area Grant in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [200900971]; Carl Tryggers Stiftelse (CTS) for Vetenskaplig Forskning [16:198, 17:206]

The overestimation, rather than the usual underestimation, of the electronic band gap at 0 K of boron carbide with the ideally stoichiometric composition of B4C, represented by B11CP (CBC), in density functional theory calculations is one of the outstanding controversial issues in the field of icosahedral boron-rich solids. Using a first-principles approach, we explore the effect of temperature and configurational disorder on the electronic band gap of B4C. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to account for the effects of vibrational disorder. The results reveal that the volumetric thermal expansion as well as the thermally induced configurational disorder of icosahedral C-P atoms residing in the B11CP icosahedra have a minimal impact on the band gap of B4C, while a major decrease of the band gap is caused by explicit atomic displacements, induced by lattice vibrations. At 298 K, the band gap of B4C is overestimated, as compared to the experimental value, by approximately 31%. However, configurational disorder induced by introducing a small fraction of B-12 (CBC) and B-12 (B-4) into a matrix of B11CP (CBC) to make the composition of boron carbide approximately B4.3C, claimed to be the carbon-rich limit of the material in experiment, leads to a smaller band gap due to the appearance of midgap states. These results can explain at least a part of the previous discrepancies between theory and experiments for the band gap of boron carbide., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-6336, 2014-4750]; Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, Cofund [INCA 600398]; Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) through the Future Research Leaders 6 program; Kungl. Ingenjorsvetenskapsakademiens Hans Werthen-Fond; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]

Modelling of processes involving deep Earth liquids requires information on their structures and compression mechanisms. However, knowledge of the local structures of silicates and silica (SiO2) melts at deep mantle conditions and of their densification mechanisms is still limited. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of metastable high-pressure silica phases, coesite-IV and coesite-V, using in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction and ab initio simulations. Their crystal structures are drastically different from any previously considered models, but explain well features of pair-distribution functions of highly densified silica glass and molten basalt at high pressure. Built of four, five-, and six-coordinated silicon, coesite-IV and coesite-V contain SiO6 octahedra, which, at odds with 3rd Paulings rule, are connected through common faces. Our results suggest that possible silicate liquids in Earths lower mantle may have complex structures making them more compressible than previously supposed., Funding Agencies|German Research Foundation [Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)]; Federal Ministry of Education and Research [ Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Germany] [DU 954-11/1, DU 393-9/2, DU 393-10/1, 5K16WC1]; National Science Foundation-Earth Sciences [EAR-1634415]; Department of Energy-GeoSciences [DE-FG02-94ER14466]; DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory [DE-AC02-06CH11357]; Elite Network of Bavaria through the program Oxides; Swedish Research Council [2015-04391, 2014-4750, 637-2013-7296]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [200900971]; Swedish e-Science Research Centre (SeRC); Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [14.Y26.31.0005]; Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in the framework of Increase Competitiveness Program of NUST "MISIS" [K2-2017-080]

The temperature-induced antiferrodistortive (AFD) structural phase transitions in CaMnO3, a typical perovskite oxide, are studied using first-principles density functional theory calculations. These transitions are caused by tilting of the MnO6 octahedra that are related to unstable phonon modes in the high-symmetry cubic perovskite phase. Transitions due to octahedral tilting in perovskites normally are believed to fit into the standard soft-mode picture of displacive phase transitions. We calculate phonon-dispersion relations and potential-energy landscapes as functions of the unstable phonon modes and argue based on the results that the phase transitions are better described as being of order-disorder type. This means that the cubic phase emerges as a dynamical average when the system hops between local minima on the potential-energy surface. We then perform ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and find explicit evidence of the order-disorder dynamics in the system. Our conclusions are expected to be valid for other perovskite oxides, and we finally suggest how to predict the nature (displacive or order-disorder) of the AFD phase transitions in any perovskite system., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]; CeNano at Linkoping University

Theoretical studies of phase stability in solid materials with dynamic disorder are challenging due to the failure of the standard picture of atoms vibrating around fixed equilibrium positions. Dynamically disordered solid materials show immense potential in applications. In particular, superionic conductors, where the disorder results in exceptionally high ionic conductivity, are very promising as solid state electrolytes in batteries and fuel cells. The biggest obstacle in living up to this potential is the limited stability of the dynamically disordered phases. Here, we outline a method to obtain the free energy of a dynamically disordered solid. It is based on a stress-strain thermodynamic integration on a deformation path between a mechanically stable ordered variant of the disordered phase, and the dynamically disordered phase itself. We show that the large entropy contribution associated with the dynamic disorder is captured in the behavior of the stress along the deformation path. We apply the method to Bi2O3, whose superionic delta phase is the fastest known solid oxide ion conductor. We accurately reproduce the experimental transition enthalpy and the critical temperature of the phase transition from the low temperature ground state a phase to the superionic d phase. The method can be used for a first-principles description of the phase stability of superionic conductors and other materials with dynamic disorder, when the disordered phase can be connected to a stable phase through a continuous deformation path., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]

Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) in combination with the temperature dependent effective potential (TDEP) method has been used to go beyond the quasiharmonic approximation and study the lattice dynamics in ceria, CeO2, at finite temperature. The results indicate that the previously proposed connection between the B-1u phonon mode turning imaginary and the transition to the superionic phase in fluorite structured materials is an artifact of the failure of the quasiharmonic approximation in describing the lattice dynamics at elevated temperatures. We instead show that, in the TDEP picture, a phonon mode coupling to the E-u mode prevents the B-1u mode from becoming imaginary. We directly observe the superionic transition at high temperatures in our AIMD simulations and find that it is initiated by the formation of oxygen Frenkel pairs (FP). These FP are found to form in a collective process involving simultaneous motion of two oxygen ions., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council [2014-4750, 2014-5993]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]

We perform first-principles calculations to investigate the phase stability of boron carbide, concentrating on the recently proposed alternative structural models composed not only of the regularly studied B11Cp(CBC) and B-12(CBC), but also of B-12(CBCB) and B-12(B-4). We find that a combination of the four structural motifs can result in low-energy electron precise configurations of boron carbide. Among several considered configurations within the composition range of B10.5C and B4C, we identify in addition to the regularly studied B11Cp(CBC) at the composition of B4C two low-energy configurations, resulting in a new view of the B-C convex hull. Those are [B-12(CBC)](0.67)[B-12(B-4)](0.33) and [B-12(CBC)](0.67)[B-12(CBCB)](0.33), corresponding to compositions of B10.5C and B6.67C, respectively. As a consequence, B-12(CBC) at the composition of B6.5C, previously suggested in the literature as a stable configuration of boron carbide, is no longer part of the B-C convex hull. By inspecting the electronic density of states as well as the elastic moduli, we find that the alternative models of boron carbide can provide a reasonably good description for electronic and elastic properties of the material in comparison with the experiments, highlighting the importance of considering B-12(CBCB) and B-12(B-4), together with the previously proposed B11Cp(CBC) and B-12(CBC), as the crucial ingredients for modeling boron carbide with compositions throughout the single-phase region., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-6336, 2014-4750]; Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions [INCA 600398]; Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) through the Future Research Leaders 6 program; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]

The MgMnH system was investigated by in situ high pressure studies of reaction mixtures MgH2MnH2. The formation conditions of two complex hydrides with composition Mg3MnH7 were established. Previously known hexagonal Mg3MnH7 (h-Mg3MnH7) formed at pressures 1.52 GPa and temperatures between 480 and 500 degrees C, whereas an orthorhombic form (o-Mg3MnH7) was obtained at pressures above 5 GPa and temperatures above 600 degrees C. The crystal structures of the polymorphs feature octahedral [Mn(I)H-6](5) complexes and interstitial H-. Interstitial H- is located in trigonal bipyramidal and square pyramidal interstices formed by Mg2+ ions in h- and o-Mg3MnH7, respectively. The hexagonal form can be retained at ambient pressure, whereas the orthorhombic form upon decompression undergoes a distortion to monoclinic Mg3MnH7 (m-Mg3MnH7). The structure elucidation of o- and m-Mg3MnH7 was aided by first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Calculated enthalpy versus pressure relations predict m- and o-Mg3MnH7 to be more stable than h-Mg3MnH7 above 4.3 GPa. Phonon calculations revealed o-Mg3MnH7 to be dynamically unstable at pressures below 5 GPa, which explains its phase transition to m-Mg3MnH7 on decompression. The electronic structure of the quenchable polymorphs h- and m-Mg3MnH7 is very similar. The stable 18-electron complex [MnH6](5-) is mirrored in the occupied states, and calculated band gaps are around 1.5 eV. The study underlines the significance of in situ investigations for mapping reaction conditions and understanding phase relations for hydrogen-rich complex transition metal hydrides., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2013-4690, 2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area Grant in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]; Carl Tryggers Stiftelse (CTS) for Vetenskaplig Forskning [16:198]

The electronic state and transport properties of hot dense iron are of the utmost importance for the understanding of Earths interior. Combining state-of-the-art density functional and dynamical mean field theories we study the impact of electron correlations on the electrical and thermal resistivity of hexagonal close-packed epsilon-Fe at Earths core conditions and show that the electron-electron scattering in epsilon-Fe exhibit a nearly perfect Fermi-liquid (FL) behavior. Accordingly, the quadratic dependence of the scattering rate, typical of FLs, leads to a modification of the Wiedemann-Franz law and suppresses the thermal conductivity with respect to the electrical one. The consequence is a significant increase of the electron-electron thermal resistivity, which is found to be of comparable magnitude to the electron-phonon one., Funding Agencies|European Research Council [ERC-319286 QMAC]; Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) [P1-0044]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-4750, 2015-04391]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]; Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [14.Y26.31.0005]

The phase diagram of iridium is investigated using the Z methodology in conjunction with the VASP ab initio molecular dynamics package. The Z methodology is a novel technique for phase diagram studies which combines the direct Z method for the computation of melting curves and the inverse Z method for the calculation of solid-solid phase boundaries. We compare our results to the available experimental data on iridium. We offer explanation for the 14-layer hexagonal structure observed in experiments by Cerenius and Dubrovinsky.

The Earths solid core is mostly composed of iron. However, despite being central to our understanding of core properties, the stable phase of iron under inner-core conditions remains uncertain. The two leading candidates are hexagonal close-packed and body-centred cubic (bcc) crystal structures, but the dynamic and thermodynamic stability of bcc iron under inner-core conditions has been challenged. Here we demonstrate the stability of the bcc phase of iron under conditions consistent with the centre of the core using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the bcc phase is stabilized at high temperatures by a diffusion mechanism that arises due to the dynamical instability of the phase at lower temperatures. On the basis of our simulations, we reinterpret experimental data as support for the stability of bcc iron under inner-core conditions. We suggest that the diffusion of iron atoms in solid state may explain both the anisotropy and the low shear modulus of the inner core., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [2013-5767, 2014-4750]; National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Program of China [2015GB118000]; China Scholarship Council; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]

The large class of layered ceramics encompasses both van der Waals (vdW) and non-vdW solids. While intercalation of noble metals in vdW solids is known, formation of compounds by incorporation of noble-metal layers in non-vdW layered solids is largely unexplored. Here, we show formation of Ti3AuC2 and Ti3Au2C2 phases with up to 31% lattice swelling by a substitutional solid-state reaction of Au into Ti3SiC2 single-crystal thin films with simultaneous out-diffusion of Si. Ti3IrC2 is subsequently produced by a substitution reaction of Ir for Au in Ti3Au2C2. These phases form Ohmic electrical contacts to SiC and remain stable after 1,000 h of ageing at 600 degrees C in air. The present results, by combined analytical electron microscopy and ab initio calculations, open avenues for processing of noble-metal-containing layered ceramics that have not been synthesized from elemental sources, along with tunable properties such as stable electrical contacts for high-temperature power electronics or gas sensors., Funding Agencies|VINN Excellence Center in research and innovation on Functional Nanoscale Materials (FunMat) by the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA); Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]; Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research through the Future Research Leaders 5 Program; Synergy Grant FUNCASE, Functional Carbides and Advanced Surface Engineering; e-Science Research Centre (SeRC); Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-4750]; European Research Council under the European Community [335383]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation

We examine the effects of the dopant type and the dopant distribution on the ion diffusion in ceria doped with rare-earth elements (Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, and Gd). Diffusion is simulated by means of a Kinetic Monte Carlo method using input transition rates derived from diffusion barriers calculated in the framework of density functional theory (DFT). Based on diffusion simulations, we discuss the characteristics of the dopants in terms of the diffusion barriers, and study oxygen ion trajectories for different dopants and distributions. Our simulations show a trend of increasing ion diffusivity with increasing atomic number for all distributions., Funding Agencies|Swedish Energy Agency (STEM) [35515-1]; Carl Tryggers Foundation [CTS 14: 433]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-5993, 2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]; [LM2015070]

We present a description of a technique for ab initio calculations of the pressure dependence of second and third-order elastic constants. The technique is based on an evaluation of the corresponding Lagrangian stress tensor derivative of the total energy assuming finite size of the deformations. Important details and parameters of the calculations are highlighted. Considering body-centered cubic Mo as a model system, we demonstrate that the technique is highly customizable and can be used to investigate non-linear elastic properties under high-pressure conditions. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Funding Agencies|Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) program SRL Grant [10-0026]; Swedish Research Council [2015-04391, 2014-4750]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [SFO-Mat-LiU No 2009 00971]; Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [K2-2016-013, 211]

MXenes are a comparatively young class of 2D materials, composed of transition-metal carbides/nitrides of the general formula Mn+1XnTx, where T represents surface terminations, typically O, OH, and/or F. Recently, a new type of MXene with vacancy ordering was discovered, Mo1.33CTx, with conduction and capacitance superior to the MXene counterpart without vacancies, Mo2CTx. We here present a theoretical evaluation of Mo1.33CTx based on first-principles calculations, where x = 2 and T is O, F, OH, or a mixture thereof. In addition to structural evaluation upon vacancy formation, we identify preferred terminations as well as termination sites, and resulting dynamical stability and electronic properties. For mixed terminations, the mixing energy is evaluated. We show that while Mo2C is typically O terminated, mixed terminations with a high F content are suggested for Mo1.33CTx, which in turn gives the highest metallicity out of all the configurations investigated. In addition, the results indicate a strong tuning potential of the band gap through choice of terminations, with an electronic structure changing between insulating and metallic depending on termination(s) and their configuration. We also performed x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to identify and quantify the terminating species on the MXene, as well as their respective binding energies. The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analysis, and combined they suggest an explanation to the MXene chemistry as well as the reported high conductivity of Mo1.33CTx., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [642-2013-8020, 2014-4750]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg (KAW) Foundation [KAW 2015.0043]; SSF synergy grant FUNCASE; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]

We examine the thermodynamic stability of compounds and alloys in the ternary B-As-P system theoretically using first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that the icosahedral B12As2 is the only stable compound in the binary B-As system, while the zinc-blende BAs is thermodynamically unstable with respect to B12As2 and the pure arsenic phase at 0 K, and increasingly so at higher temperature, suggesting that BAs may merely exist as a metastable phase. On the contrary, in the binary B-P system, both zinc-blende BP and icosahedral B12P2 are predicted to be stable. As for the binary As-P system, As1-xPx disordered alloys are predicted at elevated temperature-for example, a disordered solid solution of up to similar to 75 at.% As in black phosphorus as well as a small solubility of similar to 1 at.% P in gray arsenic at T = 750 K, together with the presence of miscibility gaps. The calculated large solubility of As in black phosphorus explains the experimental syntheses of black-phosphorus-type As1-xPx alloys with tunable compositions, recently reported in the literature. We investigate the phase stabilities in the ternary B-As-P system and demonstrate a high tendency for a formation of alloys in the icosahedral B-12(As1-xPx)(2) structure by intermixing of As and P atoms at the diatomic chain sites. The phase diagram displays noticeable mutual solubility of the icosahedral subpnictides in each other even at room temperature as well as a closure of a pseudobinary miscibility gap around 900 K. As for pseudobinary BAs1-xPx alloys, only a tiny amount of BAs is predicted to be able to dissolve in BP to form the BAs1-xPx disordered alloys at elevated temperature. For example, less than 5% of BAs can dissolve in BP at T = 1000 K. The small solubility limit of BAs in BP is attributed to the thermodynamic instability of BAs with respect to B12As2 and As., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [621-2011-4417, 2014-4750]; International Career Grant [330-2014-6336]; Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions [INCA 600398]; CeNano at Linkoping University; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009 00971]

We use the first-principles approach to clarify the thermodynamic stability as a function of pressure and temperature of three different alpha-rhombohedral-boron-like boron subnitrides, with the compositions of B6N, B13N2, and B38N6, proposed in the literature. We find that, out of these subnitrides with the structural units of B-12(N-N), B-12(NBN), and [B-12(N-N)](0.33)[B-12(NBN)](0.67), respectively, only B38N6, represented by [B-12(N-N)](0.33)[B-12(NBN)](0.67), is thermodynamically stable. Beyond a pressure of about 7.5 GPa depending on the temperature, also B38N6 becomes unstable, and decomposes into cubic boron nitride and a-tetragonalboron- like boron subnitride B50N2. The thermodynamic stability of boron subnitrides and relevant competing phases is determined by the Gibbs free energy, in which the contributions from the lattice vibrations and the configurational disorder are obtained within the quasiharmonic and the mean-field approximations, respectively. We calculate lattice parameters, elastic constants, phonon and electronic density of states, and demonstrate that [B-12(N-N)](0.33)[B-12(NBN)](0.67) is bothmechanically and dynamically stable, and is an electrical semiconductor. The simulated x-ray powder-diffraction pattern as well as the calculated lattice parameters of [B-12(N-N)](0.33)[B-12(NBN)](0.67) are found to be in good agreement with those of the experimentally synthesized boron subnitrides reported in the literature, verifying that B38N6 is the stable composition of a-rhombohedral-boron-like boron subnitride., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (VR) [621-2011- 4417, 330-2014-6336, 2014-4750]; Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions [INCA 600398]; CeNano at Linkoping University; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]

Sm-doped ceria is a prospective electrolyte material for intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFC). Equilibrium ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) studies of oxygen ion diffusion in this material are currently impractical due to the rareness of diffusive events on the accessible timescale. To overcome this issue we have performed ab initio non-equilibrium molecular dynamics calculations of Sm-doped ceria using the color diffusion algorithm. Applying an external force field we have been able to increase the frequency of diffusive events over the simulation time, while keeping the physical mechanism of diffusion intact. We have investigated the temperature dependence of the maximum strength of the applied external field that could be used while maintaining the response of the system in a linear regime. This allows one to obtain the diffusivity at zero field. The bulk ionic conductivity has been calculated and found to match the experimental data well. We have also compared the description of the diffusion process by our method to previous findings and show that the migration mechanism and site preference of oxygen vacancies with respect to the Sm dopants is well reproduced. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Funding Agencies|Swedish Energy Agency (STEM) [35515-1]; Carl Tryggers Foundation [CTS 14:433]; Swedish Research Council (VR) [2014-5993, 2014-4750]; LiLi-NFM; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]