The main purpose of this thesis is to implement the Gauss--Legendre quadrature for the dispersion coefficient. This has been done and can be now be made with different number of points. The calculations with this implementation has shown that the relativistic impact on helium, neon, argon and krypton is largest for krypton, that has the highest charge of its nucleus. It was also seen that the polarizability of neon as a function of the imaginary angular frequency decreases monotonically from a static value.

Phytochromes constitute one of the six well-characterized families of photosensory proteins in Nature. From the viewpoint of computational modeling, however, phytochromes have been the subject of much fewer studies than most other families of photosensory proteins, which is likely a consequence of relevant high-resolution structural data becoming available only in recent years. In this work, hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods are used to calculate UV-vis absorption spectra of Deinococcus radiodurans bacteriophytochrome. We investigate how the choice of QM/MM methodology affects the resulting spectra and demonstrate that QM/MM methods can reproduce the experimental absorption maxima of both the Q and Soret bands with an accuracy of about 0.15 eV. Furthermore, we assess how the protein environment influences the intrinsic absorption of the bilin chromophore, with particular focus on the Q band underlying the primary photochemistry of phytochromes.

The reactions between aqueous radiolysis products and oxide surfaces are important in nuclear technology in many ways. In solid-liquid systems, they affect (and at the same time are dependent on) both the solution chemistry and the stability of materials under the influence of ionizing radiation. The stability of surface oxides is a factor that determines the longevity of the materials where such oxides are formed. Additionally, the aqueous radiolysis products are responsible for corrosion and erosion of the materials.   In this study, the reactions between radiolysis products of water – mainly H2O2 and HO radicals – with metal, lanthanide and actinide oxides are investigated. For this, experimental and computational chemistry methods are employed. For the experimental study of these systems it was necessary to implement new methodologies especially for the study of the reactive species – the HO radicals. Similarly, the computational study also required the development of models and benchmarking of methods. The experiments combined with the computational chemistry studies produced valuable kinetic, energetic and mechanistic data.   It is demonstrated here that the HO radicals are a primary product of the decomposition of H2O2. For all the materials, the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 consists first of molecular adsorption onto the surfaces of the oxides. This step is followed by the cleavage of the O-O bond in H2O2 to form HO radicals. The HO radicals are able to react further with the hydroxylated surfaces of the oxides to form water and a surface bound HO• center. The dynamics of formation of HO• vary widely for the different materials studied. These differences are also observed in the activation energies and kinetics for decomposition of H2O2. It is found further that the removal of HO• from the system where H2O2 undergoes decomposition, by means of a scavenger, leads to the spontaneous formation of H2.   The combined theoretical-experimental methodology led to mechanistic understanding of the reactivity of the oxide materials towards H2O2 and HO radicals. This reactivity can be expressed in terms of fundamental properties of the cations present in the oxides. Correlations were found between several properties of the metal cations present in the oxides and adsorption energies of H2O, adsorption energies of HO radicals and energy barriers for H2O2 decomposition. This knowledge can aid in improving materials and processes important for nuclear technological systems, catalysis, and energy storage, and also help to better understand geochemical processes. / <p>QC 20130322</p>

c-BN has been in focus for several years due to its interesting properties. The possibility for large area CVD is a requirement for the realization of these different properties in various applications. Unfortunately, there are at present severe problems in the CVD growth of c-BN. The purpose with this research project has been to theoretically investigate, using DFT calculations, the possibility for a layer-by-layer CVD growth of c-BN. It could be established that, PEALD, using a BF3-H2-NH3-F2 pulse cycle and a diamond substrate, is a promising method for deposition of c-BN films. The gaseous species will decompose in the plasma and form BFx, H, NHx, and F species (x = 0, 1, 2, 3). The H and F radicals will uphold the cubic structure by completely hydrogenate, or fluorinate, the growing surface. However, surface radical sites will appear during the growth process as a result of atomic H, or F, abstraction reactions. The addition of NHx growth species (x = 0, 1, 2) to B radical sites, and BFx growth species (x = 0, 1, 2) to N radical sites, will then result in a continuous growth of c-BN.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the effects of additives, reactive elements and impurities, on the lifetime of thermal barrier coatings. The thesis consists of a number of studies on interface adhesion, impurity diffusion, grain boundary sliding and cleavage processes and their impact on the mechanical behaviour of grain boundaries. The effects of additives and impurity on interface adhesion were elaborated by using total energy calculations, electron localization and density of states, and by looking into the atomic separations. The results of these calculations allow the assessment of atomic level contributions to changes in the adhesive trend. Formation of new bonds across the interface is determined to improve the adhesion in reactive element(RE)-doped structures. Breaking of the cross interface bonds and sulfur(S)-oxygen(O) repulsion is found responsible for the decreased adhesion after S segregation. Interstitial and vacancy mediated S diffusion and the effects of Hf and Pt on the diffusion rate of S in bulk NiAl are studied. Hf is shown to reduce the diffusion rate, and the preferred diffusion mechanism of S and the influence of Pt are revealed to be temperature dependent. Finally, the effects of reactive elements on alumina grain boundary strength are studied. Reactive elements are shown to improve both the sliding and cleavage resistance, and the analysis of atomic separations suggest an increased ductility after the addition of quadrivalent Hf and Zr to the alumina grain boundaries.

The maximum theoretical energy efficiency of fuel cells is much larger than those of the steam-power-turbine cycles that are currently used for generating electrical power. Similarly, direct hydrocarbon fuel cells, DHFCs, can theoretically be much more efficient than hydrogen fuel cells. Unfortunately the current densities (overall reaction rates) of DHFCs are substantially smaller than those of hydrogen fuel cells. The problem is that the exchange current density (catalytic reaction rate) is orders of magnitude smaller for DHFCs. Other work at the University of Ottawa has been directed toward the development of polymer electrolytes for DHFCs that operate above the boiling point of water, making corrosion rates much slower so that precious metal catalysts are not required. Propane (liquefied petroleum gas, LPG) was the hydrocarbon chosen for this research partly because infrastructure for its transportation and storage in rural areas already exists. In this work nickel based catalysts, an inexpensive replacement for the platinum based catalysts used in conventional fuel cells, were examined using density functional theory, DFT. The heats of propane adsorption for 3d metals, when plotted as a function of the number of 3d electrons in the metal atom, had the shape of a volcano plot, with the value for nickel being the peak value of the volcano plot. Also the C-H bond of the central carbon atom was longer for propane adsorbed on nickel than when adsorbed on any of the other metals, suggesting that the species adsorbed on nickel was less likely to desorb than those on other metals. The selectivity of the propyl radical reaction was examined. It was found that propyl radicals

Intermetallic compounds are solid phases containing two or more metallic elements, whose crystal structure differs from that of its constituents [1]. The largest group among these compounds with more than 1400 binary and ternary representatives are the so-called Laves phases. The classification of an intermetallic compound as a Laves phase is solely based on the atomic configuration and the component ratio in the crystal structure. With the ideal composition AB2, the Laves phases crystallize in three closely related structure types which are named after their representatives, MgCu2 (C15, cubic), MgZn2 (C14, hexagonal) and MgNi2 (C36, hexagonal). Laves phases are built by almost all metals of the periodic system of the elements. A significant feature of many of these is the formation of broad homogeneity ranges by mutual substitution of atoms in combination with composition or temperature dependent phase transformations between the different Laves phase polytypes. Laves phases have received considerable attention in recent years as potential structural and functional materials. They combine high melting points with considerable creep resistance, high strength and fracture toughness and good corrosion and oxidation resistance. Some Laves phases like NbFe2 [2] or TaFe2 [3] show intriguing magnetic and electronic properties which provide a deeper inside into phenomenons like quantum criticality. Especially transition-metal based Laves phases like NbCr2 [4] and ZrCr2 [5] are promising candidates for the development of new high-temperature structural materials. The major drawback of the Laves phases, however, is their low-temperature brittleness. Many experimental and theoretical investigations have shown, that the low-temperature ductility can be improved by controlling the crystal structure with the help of phase transformations, by mechanical twinning or the addition of third elements. The addition of ternary alloying elements can alter the physical and electronic properties of the Laves phases and plays an important role in the composition dependent stability of the different polytypes. Some ternary Laves phases show an interesting phenomenon called site occupation reversal. It describes a composition dependent behavior of the alloying elements which prefer to occupy different crystallographic sites at different concentrations. The understanding of the point defect structure/mechanism and the site occupation of the alloying elements is thus of critical importance for the proper description of phase stability. The basis for the broad application of any metallic material is the knowledge of the corresponding phase diagram. The experimental determination of phase diagrams however, is tedious, time consuming and expensive work and the huge abundance of Laves phase makes this an impractical task. Thus, the time it takes to discover new advanced materials and to move them from the laboratory to the commercial market place is fairly long today. A cheap and fast enhancement for the development of new materials is the calculation of phase diagrams and physical properties using techniques like CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) and DFT (Density Functional Theory). Very recently the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the United States White House announced to provide a budget of $100 million to launch the Materials Genome Initiative [6, 7]. The aim of this initiative is to provide the infrastructure and training needed to discover, develop, manufacture, and deploy advanced materials in a more expeditious and economical way [8]. One of the project’s three supporting legs is the calculation and prediction of crystal structures and physical properties using advanced Computational tools. "An early benchmark will be the ability to incorporate improved predictive modeling algorithms of materials behavior into existing product design tools. For example, the crystal structure and physical properties of the materials [. . . ]." [8]. Their computational tools of choice are the same as used in this work to predict crystal structures and site occupation factors. Contents of this work is the investigation of the substitutional disorder in binary and ternary Laves phases. This includes the experimental determination of the composition dependent stability of the Laves phase polytypes and the distribution of the substitution atoms in the crystal lattice of the respective phases, i.e., the site occupation factors (s.o.f.). For this purpose, detailed experimental studies on the two systems Cr–Co–Nb and Fe–Ta–V were performed and the Laves phase polytypes, their homogeneity ranges, the lattice parameters and the site occupation factors were determined. The experimental results are compared with the results obtained from quantum mechanical calculations. DFT is used to determine the composition dependent enthalpies of formation which serve as a measure for the stability of the different Laves phase polytypes. Additionally, the applicability of various approximations and their influence on the results has been checked. This study is thus also supposed to develop and improve the tools necessary for the calculation of phase stability and homogeneity ranges in ternary phases. Chapter two in the first part of this work describes the crystal structures of the Laves phases in detail with focus on the polytype stability, the site occupation and the c/a-ratio of hexagonal C14 Laves phases. Subsequently, the phase diagrams of the investigated systems and the occurring Laves phases are discussed. Chapter three briefly describes the experimental and theoretical methods used in this work. The last section of part one gives a detailed explanation of how the phase stability, the lattice parameters and the site occupation factors are calculated. The second part "Results and discussion" contains the discussion of the experimental and theoretical results for the intensively investigated systems Co–Cr–Nb (chapter five) and Fe–Ta–V (chapter six). Several other ternary C14 Laves phases and their site occupation behavior are studied in chapter seven. The thesis is concluded with a summary in chapter eight. Several additional information is contained in the appendix.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the effects of additives, reactive elements and impurities, on the lifetime of thermal barrier coatings. The thesis consists of a number of studies on interface adhesion, impurity diffusion, grain boundary sliding and cleavage processes and their impact on the mechanical behaviour of grain boundaries. The effects of additives and impurity on interface adhesion were elaborated by using total energy calculations, electron localization and density of states, and by looking into the atomic separations. The results of these calculations allow the assessment of atomic level contributions to changes in the adhesive trend. Formation of new bonds across the interface is determined to improve the adhesion in reactive element(RE)-doped structures. Breaking of the cross interface bonds and sulfur(S)-oxygen(O) repulsion is found responsible for the decreased adhesion after S segregation. Interstitial and vacancy mediated S diffusion and the effects of Hf and Pt on the diffusion rate of S in bulk NiAl are studied. Hf is shown to reduce the diffusion rate, and the preferred diffusion mechanism of S and the influence of Pt are revealed to be temperature dependent. Finally, the effects of reactive elements on alumina grain boundary strength are studied. Reactive elements are shown to improve both the sliding and cleavage resistance, and the analysis of atomic separations suggest an increased ductility after the addition of quadrivalent Hf and Zr to the alumina grain boundaries.

This thesis work was performed at AB Sandvik Coromant and aimed to enhance the knowledge about the relationships between the performance of TiN and TiAlN-coated cutting tools in metal turning and their mechanical and chemical properties. Measurements of coating material properties and turning wear tests in annealed tool steel Sverker 21, stainless steel 316L, grey cast iron V314 and nodular cast iron SS0727 were performed. The cutting temperatures were estimated from FEM-simulations. To find the dominant wear mechanism and identify the properties that are most important for the resistance against that particular wear, a correlation analysis was performed together with a wear study using LOM, SEM and EDS. The results show that relations between cutting performance and mechanical properties and/or composition of the coatings can be established. The FEM-simulations suggested that the peak tool temperature was highest, ~750°C, for turning in 316L and lowest for turning in Sverker 21, ~300°C. Turning in cast iron resulted in temperatures around 500-550°C. A mechanism for the growth of the crater on inserts tested in stainless steel 316L is proposed. Wear due to thermo-mechanical load and adhesion are believed to be the dominating wear mechanisms. The performance of the tool showed a high correlation to the composition of the coatings, with a decreased tool life for higher Al-contents. The reason for this might lie in an increased brittleness of these coatings, accelerating formation of lateral cracks above the crater. Calculated ratios of bulk and shear modulus suggests an increased brittleness for higher Al-contents. A higher tendency to stick to the work piece material might also contribute to a decrease in tool life. An Increased Al-content could also drive the formation of c-AlN to h-AlN, causing even higher wear rates. The coatings with higher substrate bias showed an enhanced performance, even though the crack pattern was worsened for these variants. The reason for the enhanced performance seen for these variants might instead originate in an enhanced adhesion to the substrate. In the flank wear resistance test in Sverker 21 the Al-content proved to be important, with an improved performance for higher Al-contents. In contrast to the test in 316L, a change in bias or hardness had no effect on the performance in this test. Scratch patterns on the flank supports that an abrasive wear mechanism is present, but no correlation between hardness and tool life could be obtained. Either some other material property than hardness is of importance for the abrasive resistance in this test, or another wear mechanism, occurring simultaneously with abrasion, is the wear rate deciding. The second part of this thesis work was to evaluate the ability of a quantum mechanical computational method, density functional theory, to predict material properties. The method predicts the lattice parameters and bulk moduli in excellent agreement with experimental values. The method also well predicts other elastic properties, with results consistent with reference values. There seems to be a constant shift of about 50-100 GPa between the calculated elastic modulus and the experimentally measured values, probably originating in contributions from grain boundaries, texture, stresses and defects present in the real coatings, and possibly also in errors in the experimental method due to an influence from the substrate. The calculated hardness values did not follow the trend of an increased hardness for TiAlN compared to TiN, which is seen in experiments.

In this thesis, a number of clean-energy materials for hydrogen generation, hydrogen storage, and Li-ion battery energy storage applications have been investigated through state-of-the-art density functional theory. As an alternative fuel, hydrogen has been regarded as one of the promising clean energies with the advantage of abundance (generated through water splitting) and pollution-free emission if used in fuel cell systems. However, some key problems such as finding efficient ways to produce and store hydrogen have been hindering the realization of the hydrogen economy. Here from the scientific perspective, various materials including the nanostructures and the bulk hydrides have been examined in terms of their crystal and electronic structures, energetics, and different properties for hydrogen generation or hydrogen storage applications. In the study of chemisorbed graphene-based nanostructures, the N, O-N and N-N decorated ones are designed to work as promising electron mediators in Z-scheme photocatalytic hydrogen production. Graphene nanofibres (especially the helical type) are found to be good catalysts for hydrogen desorption from NaAlH4. The milestone nanomaterial, C60, is found to be able to significantly improve the hydrogen release from the (LiH+NH3) mixture. In addition, the energetics analysis of hydrazine borane and its derivative solid have revealed the underlying reasons for their excellent hydrogen storage properties.  As the other technical trend of replacing fossil fuels in electrical vehicles, the Li-ion battery technology for energy storage depends greatly on the development of electrode materials. In this thesis, the pure NiTiH and its various metal-doped hydrides have been studied as Li-ion battery anode materials. The Li-doped NiTiH is found to be the best candidate and the Fe, Mn, or Cr-doped material follows. / <p>QC 20130925</p>