Free energy of metals from quasi-harmonic models of thermal disorder

• A simple modelling method to extend first-principles electronic structure calculations to finite temperatures is presented. The method is applicable to crystalline solids exhibiting complex thermal disorder and employs quasi-harmonic models to represent the vibrational and magnetic free energy contributions. The main outcome is the Helmholtz free energy, calculated as a function of volume and temperature, from which the other related thermophysical properties (such as temperature-dependent lattice and elastic constants) can be derived. Our test calculations for Fe, Ni, Ti, and W metals in the paramagnetic state at temperatures of up to 1600 K show that the predictive capability of the quasi-harmonic modelling approach is mainly limited by the electron density functional approximation used and, in the second place, by the neglect of higher-order anharmonic effects. The developed methodology is equally applicable to disordered alloys and ordered compounds and can therefore be useful in modelling realistically complex materials.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Quasi-harmonic approximation; Debye model; First-principles calculations; Helmholtz free energy; thermophysical properties; cubic metals.

Teknisk materialvetenskap

Materials Science and Engineering

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