Stability in bcc Transition Metals: Madelung and Band-Energy Effects due to Alloying

作者:Landa A*; Soderlind P; Ruban A V; Peil O E; Vitos L
来源:Physical Review Letters, 2009, 103(23): 235501.
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.235501

摘要

The phase stability of group VB (V, Nb, and Ta) transition metals is explored by first-principles electronic-structure calculations. Alloying with a small amount of a neighboring metal can either stabilize or destabilize the body-centered-cubic phase relative to low-symmetry rhombohedral phases. We show that band-structure effects determine phase stability when a particular group VB metal is alloyed with its nearest neighbors within the same d-transition series. In this case, the neighbor with less (to the left) and more (to the right) d electrons destabilize and stabilize bcc, respectively. When alloying with neighbors of higher d-transition series, electrostatic Madelung energy dominates and stabilizes the body-centered-cubic phase. This surprising prediction invalidates current understanding of simple d-electron bonding that dictates high-symmetry cubic and hexagonal phases.

  • 出版日期2009-12-4