Warning! Note that elemental potentials taken from alloy descriptions may not work well for the pure species. This is particularly true if the elements were fit for compounds instead of being optimized separately. As with all interatomic potentials, please check to make sure that the performance is adequate for your problem.
Updated! Potentials that share interactions are now listed as related models.
Citation: M.I. Mendelev, and G.J. Ackland (2007), "Development of an interatomic potential for the simulation of phase transformations in zirconium", Philosophical Magazine Letters, 87(5), 349-359. DOI: 10.1080/09500830701191393.
Abstract: In recent years, some 30 studies have been published on the molecular dynamics (MD) of zirconium, primarily of its twinning deformation and response to radiation damage. Its low thermal neutron absorption makes it uniquely suited for the latter application. Surprisingly, currently used interatomic potentials do not encapsulate the unique properties of Zr, namely its high stacking-fault energy, anomolous self-diffusion, melting and phase transformation under temperature and pressure (or alloying). Ab initio calculations have shown deficiencies in the description of point defects, both vacancies and interstitials, using existing interatomic potentials, deficiencies that can now be rectified by refitting. Here, we show the calculation of phase transitions self-consistently and present a potential for Zr that correctly reproduces the energetics of our extended database of ab initio configurations and high-temperature phase transitions. The potential has an analytic many-body form, making it suitable for existing large-scale MD codes. We also present a best-fit potential for the hcp structure and its defects.
Notes: This listing is for the reference's potential parameter set #2.
See Computed Properties Notes: This file was provided by Mikhail Mendelev. Update 19 July 2021: The contact email in the file's header has been changed. File(s): superseded
See Computed Properties Notes: Update 09 Mar 2009: New files for Zr #2 and Zr #3 (24 Feb 2009) were sent as replacements for the previous version. They better treat radial distances smaller than 0.5 A for use in radiation damage simulations. Update 19 July 2021: The contact email in the file's header has been changed. File(s):