Abstract: Chemical and structural diversity present in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and graphene hybrid nanostructures provide avenues for tuning various properties for their technological applications. In this paper we investigate the variation of thermal conductivity (κ) of hybrid graphene/h-BN nanostructures: stripe superlattices and BN (graphene) dots embedded in graphene (BN) are investigated using equilibrium molecular dynamics. To simulate these systems, we have parametrized a Tersoff type interaction potential to reproduce the ab initio energetics of the B-C and N-C bonds for studying the various interfaces that emerge in these hybrid nanostructures. We demonstrate that both the details of the interface, including energetic stability and shape, as well as the spacing of the interfaces in the material, exert strong control on the thermal conductivity of these systems. For stripe superlattices, we find that zigzag configured interfaces produce a higher κ in the direction parallel to the interface than the armchair configuration, while the perpendicular conductivity is less prone to the details of the interface and is limited by the κ of h-BN. Additionally, the embedded dot structures, having mixed zigzag and armchair interfaces, affect the thermal transport properties more strongly than superlattices. The largest reduction in thermal conductivity is observed at 50% dot concentration, but the dot radius appears to have little effect on the magnitude of reduction around this concentration.

Abstract: We report on the first interatomic potentials for Zirconium Diboride and Hafnium Diboride. The potentials are of the Tersoff form, and are obtained by fitting to a first-principles database of basic properties of elemental Zr, Hf, B, and the compounds ZrB₂ and HfB₂. Two variants of the Zr-B potentials have been obtained, and one for Hf-B. The potentials have been tested against a variety of properties of the compound, with the conclusion that they are stable and provide a reasonable representation of the desired properties of the two diborides.

Abstract: Atomistic Green-Kubo simulations are performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of the ultra high temperature ceramics ZrB₂ and HfB₂. Recently developed interatomic potentials are used for these simulations. Heat current correlation functions show rapid oscillations, which can be identified with mixed metal-Boron optical phonon modes. Results for temperatures from 300K to 1000K are presented.

Abstract: We present an extended Tersoff potential for boron nitride (BN-ExTeP) for application in large scale atomistic simulations. BN-ExTeP accurately describes the main low energy B, N, and BN structures and yields quantitatively correct trends in the bonding as a function of coordination. The proposed extension of the bond order, added to improve the dependence of bonding on the chemical environment, leads to an accurate description of point defects in hexagonal BN (h-BN) and cubic BN (c-BN). We have implemented this potential in the molecular dynamics LAMMPS code and used it to determine some basic properties of pristine 2D h-BN and the elastic properties of defective h-BN as a function of defect density at zero temperature. Our results show that there is a strong correlation between the size of the static corrugation induced by the defects and the weakening of the in-plane elastic moduli.

Abstract: We report on the first interatomic potentials for Zirconium Diboride and Hafnium Diboride. The potentials are of the Tersoff form, and are obtained by fitting to a first-principles database of basic properties of elemental Zr, Hf, B, and the compounds ZrB₂ and HfB₂. Two variants of the Zr-B potentials have been obtained, and one for Hf-B. The potentials have been tested against a variety of properties of the compound, with the conclusion that they are stable and provide a reasonable representation of the desired properties of the two diborides.

Abstract: Atomistic Green-Kubo simulations are performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of the ultra high temperature ceramics ZrB₂ and HfB₂. Recently developed interatomic potentials are used for these simulations. Heat current correlation functions show rapid oscillations, which can be identified with mixed metal-Boron optical phonon modes. Results for temperatures from 300K to 1000K are presented.

Abstract: A combination of ab initio, atomistic, and finite element methods (FEM) was used to investigate fundamental properties of grain boundaries and grain boundary networks and their impact on lattice thermal conductivity in the ultra high-temperature ceramic ZrB₂. The structure, energetics, and lattice thermal conductance of certain low energy grain boundaries were studied. Atomic models of these boundaries were relaxed using density functional theory. Information about bonding across the interfaces was determined from the electron localization function. Interfacial thermal conductances were computed using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. Microstructural models were used to determine the reduction in lattice thermal conductivity due grain boundary networks where FEM meshes were constructed on top of microstructural images.