No description available.

The development of interatomic potentials for magnetic transition metals, and particularly for iron, is difficult, yet it is also necessary for large-scale atomistic simulations of industrially important iron and steel alloys. The magnetism of iron is especially important as it is responsible for many of the element's unique physical properties -- its bcc ground state structure, its high-temperature phase transitions, and the mobility of its self-interstitial atom (SIA) defects. Yet an accurate description of itinerant magnetism within a real-space formalism is particularly challenging and existing interatomic potentials based on the Embedded Atom Method are suited only for studies of near-equilibrium ferritic iron, due to their restricted functional forms. For this work, the magnetic analytic Bond-Order Potential (BOP) method has been implemented in full to test the convergence properties in both collinear and non-collinear magnetic iron. The known problems with negative densities of states (DOS) are addressed by assessing various possible definitions for the bandwidth and by including the damping factors adapted from the Kernel Polynomial Method. A 9-moment approximation is found to be sufficient to reproduce the major structural energy differences observed in Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Tight Binding (TB) reference calculations, as well as the volume dependence of the atomic magnetic moments. The Bain path connecting bcc and fcc structures and the formation energy of mono- and divacancies are also described well at this level of approximation. Other quantities such as the high-spin/low-spin transition in fcc iron, the bcc elastic constants and the SIA formation energies converge more slowly towards the TB reference data. The theory of non-collinear magnetism within analytic BOP is extended as required for a practical implementation. The spin-rotational behaviour of the energy is shown to converge more slowly than the collinear bulk energy differences, and there are specific problems at low angles of rotation where the magnitude of the magnetic moment depends sensitively on the detailed structure of the local DOS. Issues of charge transfer in relation to magnetic defects are discussed, as well as inadequacies in the underlying d-electron TB model.

Aluminas have had some form of chemical and industrial use throughout history. For little over a century corundum (α-Al2O3) has been the most widely used and known of the aluminas. The emerging metastable aluminas, including the γ, δ, η, θ, κ, β, and χ polymorphs, have been growing in importance. In particular, γ-Al2O3 has received wide attention, with established use as a catalyst and catalyst support, and growing application in wear abrasives, structural composites, and as part of burner systems in miniature power supplies. It is also growing in importance as part of the feedstock for aluminium production in order to affect both the adsorption of hydrogen fluoride and the feedstock solubility in the electrolytic solution. However, much ambiguity surrounds the precise structure of γ-Al2O3. Without proper knowledge of the structure, understanding the properties, dynamics and applications will always be less than optimal. The aim of this research was to contribute towards settling this ambiguity. This work was achieved through extensive computer simulations of the structure, based on interatomic potentials with refinements of promising structures using density functional theory (DFT), and a wide range of supporting experiments. In addition to providing a more realistic representation of the structure, this research has also served to advance knowledge of the evolution of the structure with changing temperature and make new insights regarding the location of hydrogen in γ-Al2O3. / Both the molecular modelling and Rietveld refinements of neutron diffraction data showed that the traditional cubic spinel-based structure models, based on m Fd3 space group symmetry, do not accurately describe the defect structure of γ-Al2O3. A more accurate description of the structure was provided using supercells of the cubic and tetragonal unit cells with a significant number of cations on c symmetry positions. These c symmetry based structures exhibited diffraction patterns that were characteristic of γ-Al2O3. The first three chapters of this Thesis provide a review of the literature. Chapter One provides a general introduction, describing the uses and importance of the aluminas and the problems associated with determining the structure of γ-Al2O3. Chapter Two details the research that has been conducted on the structure of vi γ-Al2O3 historically. Chapter Three describes the major principles behind the computational methods employed in this research. In Chapter Four, the specific experimental and computational techniques used to investigate the structure of γ-Al2O3 are described. All preparation conditions and parameters used are provided. Chapter Five describes the methodology employed in computational and experimental research. The examination of the ~ 1.47 billion spinel-based structural possibilities of γ-Al2O3, described using supercells, and the selection of ~ 122,000 candidates for computer simulation, is detailed. This chapter also contains a case study of the structure of κ-Al2O3, used to investigate the applicability of applying interatomic potentials to solving complex structures, where many possibilities are involved, and to develop a systematic procedure of computational investigation that could be applied to γ-Al2O3. Chapters Six to Nine present and discuss the results from the experimental studies. / Preliminary heating trials, performed to determine the appropriate preparation conditions for obtaining a highly crystalline boehmite precursor and an appropriate calcination procedure for the systematic study of γ-Al2O3, were presented in Chapter Six. Chapter Seven details the investigation of the structure from a singletemperature case. Several known structural models were investigated, including the possibility of a dual-phase model and the inclusion of hydrogen in the structure. It was demonstrated that an accurate structural model cannot be achieved for γ-Al2O3 if the cations are restricted to spinel positions. It was also found that electron diffraction patterns, typical for γ-Al2O3, could be indexed according to the I41/amd space group, which is a maximal subgroup of m Fd3 . Two models were presented which describe the structure more accurately; Cubic-16c, which describes cubic γ-Al2O3 and Tetragonal-8c, which describes tetragonal γ-Al2O3. The latter model was found to be a better description for the γ-Al2O3 samples studied. Chapter Eight describes the evolution of the structure with changing calcination temperature. Tetragonal γ-Al2O3 was found to be present between 450 and 750 °C. The structure showed a reduction in the tetragonal distortion with increasing temperature but at no stage was cubic γ-Al2O3 obtained. Examination of the progress of cation migration indicates the reduction in the tetragonal nature is due to ordering within inter-skeletal oxygen layers of the unit cell, left over from the breakdown of the hydroxide layers of boehmite when the transformation to γ-Al2O3 occurred. Above 750 °C, δ-Al2O3 was not observed, but a new phase was identified and designated γ.-Al2O3. / The structure of this phase was determined to be a triple cell of γ-Al2O3 and is herein described using the 2 4m P space group. Chapter Nine investigates the presence of hydrogen in the structure of γ-Al2O3. It was concluded that γ-Al2O3 derived from highly crystalline boehmite has a relatively well ordered bulk crystalline structure which contains no interstitial hydrogen and that hydrogen-containing species are located at the surface and within amorphous regions, which are located in the vicinity of pores. Expectedly, the specific surface area was found to decrease with increasing calcination temperature. This trend occurred concurrently with an increase in the mean pore and crystallite size and a reduction in the amount of hydrogen-containing species within the structure. It was also demonstrated that γ-Al2O3 derived from highly crystalline boehmite has a significantly higher surface area than expected, attributed to the presence of nano-pores and closed porosity. The results from the computational study are presented and discussed in Chapter Ten. Optimisation of the spinel-based structural models showed that structures with some non-spinel site occupancy were more energetically favourable. However, none of the structural models exhibited a configuration close to those determined from the experimental studies. Nor did any of the theoretical structures yield a diffraction pattern that was characteristic of γ-Al2O3. This discrepancy between the simulated and real structures means that the spinel-based starting structure models are not close enough to the true structure of γ-Al2O3 to facilitate the derivation of its representative configuration. / Large numbers of structures demonstrate migration of cations to c symmetry positions, providing strong evidence that c symmetry positions are inherent in the structure. This supports the Cubic-16c and Tetragonal-8c structure models presented in Chapter Seven and suggests that these models are universal for crystalline γ-Al2O3. Optimisation of c symmetry based structures, with starting configurations based on the experimental findings, resulted in simulated diffraction patterns that were characteristic of γ-Al2O3.

In spite of their high abundance and importance, aqueous systems are enigmatic on the microscopic scale. In order to obtain information about their geometrical and electronic structure, simple aqueous solutions have been studied experimentally by photo- and Auger electron spectroscopy using the novel liquid micro-jet technique in conjunction with synchrotron radiation. The thesis is thematically divided into three parts. In the first part we utilize the surface sensitivity of photoelectron spectroscopy to probe the distributions of solutes near the water surface. In agreement with recent theoretical predictions we find that large polarizable anions, such as I- and ClO4-, display enhanced surface propensities compared to smaller rigid ions. Surface effects arising from ion-ion interactions at higher electrolyte concentrations and as function of pH are investigated. Studies of linear mono-carboxylic acids and benzoic acid show that the neutral molecular forms of such weak acids are better stabilized at the water surface than their respective conjugate base forms. The second part examines what type of information core-electron spectra can yield about the chemical state and hydration structure of small organic molecules in water. We demonstrate that the method is sensitive to the protonation state of titratable functional groups and that core-level lineshapes are dependent on local water hydration configurations. Using a combination of photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopy we also show that the electronic re-arrangement upon hydrolysis of aldehydes yields characteristic fingerprints in core-level spectra. In the last part of this thesis we study ultrafast charge delocalization dynamics in aqueous solutions using resonant and off-resonant Auger spectroscopy. Intermolecular Coulombic decay (ICD) is found to occur in a number of core-excited solutions where excess energy is transferred between the solvent and the solute. The rate of ultrafast electron delocalization between hydrogen bonded water molecules upon oxygen 1s resonant core-excitation is found to decrease upon solvation of inorganic ions. The presented work is illustrative of how core-level photoelectron spectroscopy can be valuable in the study of fundamental phenomena in aqueous solutions.

O Tungstato de Zircônio (ZrW2O8) é um material que exibe Expansão Térmica Negativa (ETN), isotrópica em um amplo intervalo de temperatura (0,3 a 1050 K). Apesar de amplamente estudado, existem controvérsias acerca dos mecanismos microscópicos responsáveis por este comportamento. A fase cúbica deste composto, denominada a-ZrW2O8, já foi motivo de estudo através de simulações computacionais utilizando Potenciais Interatômicos (PI) e Dinâmica de Rede na Aproximação Quasi-Harmônica (DRQH). Nos dois PI distintos propostos na literatura conseguiu-se reproduzir a ETN da a-ZrW2O8, mas não a dependência com a temperatura do tensor de elasticidade. É partindo desta observação que este trabalho pretende avaliar o desempenho de PI existentes e de novos PI em simulações computacionais visando a descrição da dependência com a temperatura do tensor de elasticidade da a-ZrW2O8 entre 0 e 300 K. Utilizaram-se dados experimentais, tais como posições atômicas, parâmetros de rede e o tensor de elasticidade da a-ZrW2O8 em temperaturas entre 0 e 300 K e, em outra série de cálculos, a hipersuperfície de energia ab initio no limite atérmico para obter os parâmetros dos PI. Diferentes estratégias foram empregadas na busca pelos parâmetros dos PI incluindo minimização em linha, Newton-Raphson/BFGS e Algoritmo Genético (AG). Concluiu-se que não é possível descrever as propriedades estruturais e elásticas da a-ZrW2O8 em função da temperatura com PI simples e que esta incapacidade não está relacionada a qualquer limitação da DRQH ou dos parâmetros dos PI, mas à forma analítica dos PI empregados. Isto sugere que se deve ter cautela na interpretação de resultados obtidos com estes potencias já disponíveis na literatura. Como alternativas para a solução deste problema, pode-se considerar o uso de redes neurais para a representação da hipersuperfície de energia ab initio, o uso de PI mais sofisticados que levam em consideração a vizinhança atômica (bond order potentials) e, também, cálculo ab initio a T > 0, este último a um custo computacional muito mais elevado. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-05-28T17:16:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Emiliano Chemello.pdf: 1343523 bytes, checksum: 46461698a2b6139def916307ab93478f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-28T17:16:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Emiliano Chemello.pdf: 1343523 bytes, checksum: 46461698a2b6139def916307ab93478f (MD5) / Zirconium tungstate (ZrW2O8) is a material that exhibits negative thermal expansion (NTE), over a wide temperature range (0.3 at 1050 K). Although thoroughly studied, controversies still remain concerning the microscopic mechanisms responsible for this behavior. The cubic phase of this compound, denominated a-ZrW2O8, was already the subject of study through computer simulations using interatomic potentials (IP) and lattice dynamics in quasiharmonic approximation (LDQH). In two different IPs proposed in the literature succeeded in reproducing the a-ZrW2O8 NTE, but not the dependence with temperature of the elasticity tensor. Starting from this observation, this work intends to evaluate of existent IPs and same proposed new IPs in computer simulations aiming the calculation of the tensor of elasticity for a-ZrW2O8 between 0 and 300 K. Experimental data (such as atomic positions, lattice parameters and the tensor of elasticity of a-ZrW2O8 at 0 and 300 K) and, in another series of calculations, the ab initio energy hypersurface in the athermic limit, were used to obtain the parameters of the IPs. Different strategies were used in the search for the parameters of IP, including line minimization, Newton-Raphson/BFGS and genetic algorithm (GA). At the end of an exhaustive search we were led to conclude that it is not possible to describe the structure and elastic properties of a-ZrW2O8 as a function of temperature with simple IPs and that this incapacity is not related the any limitation of LDQH or of the parameters of the IPs, but instead to the analytical form of the tested IPs. This suggests that same results obtained with IPs already available in the literature may be unreliable. As alternatives for the solution of this problem, it can be considered the use of a neural network for the representation of the ab initio energy hypersurface, the use of more sophisticated IPs than take into account the atomic neighborhood (bond order potentials) and even (with a computational cost much higher) ab initio calculations at T > 0.

O Tungstato de Zircônio (ZrW2O8) é um material que exibe Expansão Térmica Negativa (ETN), isotrópica em um amplo intervalo de temperatura (0,3 a 1050 K). Apesar de amplamente estudado, existem controvérsias acerca dos mecanismos microscópicos responsáveis por este comportamento. A fase cúbica deste composto, denominada a-ZrW2O8, já foi motivo de estudo através de simulações computacionais utilizando Potenciais Interatômicos (PI) e Dinâmica de Rede na Aproximação Quasi-Harmônica (DRQH). Nos dois PI distintos propostos na literatura conseguiu-se reproduzir a ETN da a-ZrW2O8, mas não a dependência com a temperatura do tensor de elasticidade. É partindo desta observação que este trabalho pretende avaliar o desempenho de PI existentes e de novos PI em simulações computacionais visando a descrição da dependência com a temperatura do tensor de elasticidade da a-ZrW2O8 entre 0 e 300 K. Utilizaram-se dados experimentais, tais como posições atômicas, parâmetros de rede e o tensor de elasticidade da a-ZrW2O8 em temperaturas entre 0 e 300 K e, em outra série de cálculos, a hipersuperfície de energia ab initio no limite atérmico para obter os parâmetros dos PI. Diferentes estratégias foram empregadas na busca pelos parâmetros dos PI incluindo minimização em linha, Newton-Raphson/BFGS e Algoritmo Genético (AG). Concluiu-se que não é possível descrever as propriedades estruturais e elásticas da a-ZrW2O8 em função da temperatura com PI simples e que esta incapacidade não está relacionada a qualquer limitação da DRQH ou dos parâmetros dos PI, mas à forma analítica dos PI empregados. Isto sugere que se deve ter cautela na interpretação de resultados obtidos com estes potencias já disponíveis na literatura. Como alternativas para a solução deste problema, pode-se considerar o uso de redes neurais para a representação da hipersuperfície de energia ab initio, o uso de PI mais sofisticados que levam em consideração a vizinhança atômica (bond order potentials) e, também, cálculo ab initio a T > 0, este último a um custo computacional muito mais elevado. / Zirconium tungstate (ZrW2O8) is a material that exhibits negative thermal expansion (NTE), over a wide temperature range (0.3 at 1050 K). Although thoroughly studied, controversies still remain concerning the microscopic mechanisms responsible for this behavior. The cubic phase of this compound, denominated a-ZrW2O8, was already the subject of study through computer simulations using interatomic potentials (IP) and lattice dynamics in quasiharmonic approximation (LDQH). In two different IPs proposed in the literature succeeded in reproducing the a-ZrW2O8 NTE, but not the dependence with temperature of the elasticity tensor. Starting from this observation, this work intends to evaluate of existent IPs and same proposed new IPs in computer simulations aiming the calculation of the tensor of elasticity for a-ZrW2O8 between 0 and 300 K. Experimental data (such as atomic positions, lattice parameters and the tensor of elasticity of a-ZrW2O8 at 0 and 300 K) and, in another series of calculations, the ab initio energy hypersurface in the athermic limit, were used to obtain the parameters of the IPs. Different strategies were used in the search for the parameters of IP, including line minimization, Newton-Raphson/BFGS and genetic algorithm (GA). At the end of an exhaustive search we were led to conclude that it is not possible to describe the structure and elastic properties of a-ZrW2O8 as a function of temperature with simple IPs and that this incapacity is not related the any limitation of LDQH or of the parameters of the IPs, but instead to the analytical form of the tested IPs. This suggests that same results obtained with IPs already available in the literature may be unreliable. As alternatives for the solution of this problem, it can be considered the use of a neural network for the representation of the ab initio energy hypersurface, the use of more sophisticated IPs than take into account the atomic neighborhood (bond order potentials) and even (with a computational cost much higher) ab initio calculations at T > 0.

Adhesion between solid bodies plays a prominent role in a wide variety of situations ranging from tribological applications to dust coagulation initiating the formation of planets. It can be due to various reasons like capillary, electrostatic, van der Waals, and hydrophobic forces. Among these, adhesion due to van der Waals force| which has its origin in permanent or instantaneous electric dipoles present in all atoms and molecules|is of special significance as it is present in all cases. Computational studies on adhesion due to van der Waals force commonly assume it as a surface force due to its short effective range, which is about a few tens of nanometers, in comparison to the length-scales commonly encountered. However, such restrictions are often violated in various important problems. For example, the characteristic dimensions of asperities| which are the smallest roughness elements interacting to cause friction and wear| are usually of nanometer length-scale. In addition, the assumptions inherent in development of surface force model are exact only when the deformations are small. In all such situations, the van der Waals force must be assumed as distributed over the volume. In this work, a computational model is developed by incorporating van der Waals force and short-range repulsion (steric repulsion or Pauli repulsion) as body forces distributed over the volume in a large deformation, static/transient, finite element framework. First the development of the general formulation is discussed, and then it is specialized for various considerations like handling symmetry and interaction between an elastic body and a rigid half-space, which offer significant computational advantages over the general formulation. The applicability of the model is illustrated by using a number of benchmark and practical problems. The comparison of the analysis results and well-established analytical models are provided, which validates our method. As a specific example, the smooth change of interaction force from a thin-rod model to a at-plate model on increasing the cross-sectional areas of two interacting elastic rods is demonstrated. The impact of elastic bodies in presence adhesion, and the associated energy loss is an important concern in studies regarding the origin of friction. Therefore, adhesive impact of elastic rods and spheres is studied using our formulation. Emphasis of the study is on finding the apparent energy loss during impact, which represents the part of energy lost to elastic stress waves remaining in the body after the impact, and hence not available for rebound motion. In case of impact of elastic rods on a rigid half-space, it is shown that the apparent energy loss is a unique function of the tensile strain energy developed in the rod due to van der Waals attraction. A one-dimensional model is developed for this case to determine the energy loss based on the specified problem parameters, which can be used to predict practically relevant phenomena like capture. In case of impact of elastic spheres, which is often correlated with asperity interactions, the energy loss is found to be significant only if adhesion-induced instabilities occur. The behavior shown by rods and spheres are probably at the two extremes with regards to energy loss during impact of elastic bodies in presence of adhesion. Practical use of the formulation is demonstrated by applying it to the study of amplitude variation and phase shifts in tapping-mode atomic force microscopy. Specifically, the advantage of operating the AFM cantilever just below its natural frequency as compared to operating it just above the natural frequency is demonstrated. Bistable behavior, which is the coexistence of two stable vibration modes under exactly same operating conditions, is shown to be severe when the driving frequency is higher than the natural frequency of AFM cantilever even in the absence of adhesion, which can result in spurious contrast-reversal artifacts during imaging. The hysteresis loop associated with the bistable behavior may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding presence of adhesion. Since this model overcomes the limitations of lumped parameter models and the computational models based on surface force approximation, the results can be used for much more realistic interpretation of experimental data. Computational framework developed in this study achieves the capability for analysis of adhesive contact problems directly from van der Waals interaction and steric repulsion. Such a model can be used for revisiting the fundamental problems in contact mechanics, as well as for providing better insights into experimental observations.

L’objectif de ce travail consiste à développer un nouveau potentiel SMTB-Q, puis à l’incorporer dans un code de dynamique moléculaire (DM) afin d’étudier les premiers stades de l’oxydation de l’aluminium. Le potentiel peut modéliser les différents polymorphes de l’alumine ainsi qu’une transition de la phase amorphe vers une phase cristalline. Notre approche couple un terme covalent avec la charge. Il utilise le schéma de Rappé et Goddard pour la partie électrostatique et le modèle du réseau alterné de C. Noguera pour la partie covalente. Le potentiel SMTB-Q obtenu est validé par une approche Monte Carlo. Nous y présentons les outils utilisés pour l’optimisation du potentiel ou analyser les résultats obtenus pour les situations hétérogènes. Cette étude permet de montrer que le potentiel SMTB-Q donne une description satisfaisante de la liaison Al-O dans différentes configurations atomiques. Cette liaison résulte de la compétition entre trois contributions énergétiques : électrostatique, covalente et répulsion de Pauli entre les oxygènes. Après son incorporation dans le logiciel LAMMPS, le potentiel SMTB-Q est utilisé en DM pour l'étude d'oxydes à stœchiométrie constante. Les transitions de phases de l’alumine sont étudiées sous haute pression et en température. Le problème du changement de stœchiométrie de l’oxyde est traité à partir de l'étude de diverses structures de différentes stœchiométries. Nous introduirons la liaison métallique dans le potentiel. La superposition des liaisons iono-covalentes et métalliques sera étudiée pour des systèmes métal/oxyde. Enfin, nous discuterons du formalisme du potentiel SMTB-Q face au changement de stœchiométrie dans l’oxyde. / The goal of this work is to develop a new SMTB-Q potential in order to study the early stages of the oxidation of aluminium by molecular dynamics (MD).Our potential is able to model different alumina polymorphs as well as transitions from the amorphous state to a crystalline phase. Our approach couples a covalent term with the charge. It uses Rapp_ and Goddard scheme for the electrostatic part and the model of alternating network developed by C. Noguera for the covalent part.The SMTB-Q potential was validated with a Monte Carlo approach. This study shows that the potential SMTB-Q gives satisfactory results for the Al-O bonding in different atomic configurations. The bonding results from the competition between three energy contributions: electrostatic, covalent and Pauli repulsion between the oxygens.After implementation in the LAMMPS software, the potential SMTB-Q is used to study by DM constant stoichiometry oxides. Alumina phase transitions are observed under high pressure and temperature. We also introduce the metallic bonding in the potential. The superposition of the iono-covalent and metallic bonds was investigated for metal / oxide systems. Finally, we discuss the formalism of the SMTB-Q potential to take into account the change of stoichiometry in the oxide.

No description available.

Le but de cette thèse était de modéliser la réponse mécanique de nanotubes de carbone à des champs électriques. Nous avons commencé par utiliser le potentiel AIREBO dans des simulations de dynamique moléculaire afin d'étudier l'élasticité non-linéaire et la limite de déformation en torsion de divers nanotubes, en fonction de leur longueur, rayon et chiralité. Nous trouvons notamment que le module d'Young effectif des tubes décroît d'autant plus vite que la chiralité est faible. D'autre part, nous montrons que la limite de l'énergie stockable par atome lors de la torsion d'un tube est d'autant plus grande que le diamètre est petit.<br><br>Nous modélisons ensuite, de façon atomistique, la distribution surfacique de charge électrique sur des nanotubes de carbone possédant une charge nette. Nous retrouvons notamment l'effet de pointe classique avec un très bon accord quantitatif avec des résultats expérimentaux obtenus par microscopie à force électrostatique.<br><br>Par combinaison des méthodes utilisées dans les études précédentes, nous simulons la déflection de nanotubes semi-conducteurs et métalliques par un champ électrique extérieur, dans une configuration de type interrupteur moléculaire. L'effet des caractéristiques géométriques des tubes et du champ sur cette déflection ont été systématiquement étudiés.<br><br>En outre, nous avons vu que des simulations de dynamique moléculaire avec le potentiel AIREBO permettent de retrouver quantitativement les énergies expérimentales d'adsorption du benzène, du naphtalène et d'anthracène sur le graphite. Ce type de simulation nous permet d'avancer sur la voie de la compréhension de la sélectivité de l'adsorption de certaines molécules surfactantes à plusieurs cycles benzéniques sur des nanotubes de chiralité donnée.