Temperature-dependence of phonons, solid state properties and liquid structure of noble metals: A comparison of pair-potentials

• We study temperature-dependence of thermodynamic properties of noble metals.
• We study the liquid state structure of noble metals.
• We compare two classes of pair-potentials in our study.

Two groups of effective pair-potentials are studied from the viewpoint of their suitability in being able to describe solid state properties and liquid state structure of noble metals Cu, Ag and Au over a wide temperature range. Since the effective pair-potentials are usually empirical in nature, with parameters obtained by fitting to some reference state properties, the objective of the present study is to determine whether a particular parametrization scheme has any definite advantage over another. We consider Morse potentials with parameters determined by equilibrium lattice parameter, cohesive/sublimation energies as well as bulk modulus values of the solid at low/room temperatures. The other group of potentials considered is Erkoç potentials, where the parameters were determined first by studying dimers and further modified using bulk stability condition and bulk cohesive energy values. The potentials were then used to study the energetics of microclusters containing 3–7 atoms. Quasiharmonic results for the solid obtained at different temperatures and Monte Carlo simulation for the liquid state show that phonon spectra, thermal expansion, temperature-dependence of specific heats and liquid structure are much better described by the latter group. The first group of potentials may have an advantage in reproducing the temperature-dependence of elastic constants and bulk moduli, since they are based on room temperature values of these properties, which show only weak temperature-dependence in general for all metals. It is argued that potentials based on parameters fitted to the properties at a single volume are less versatile in capturing the temperature-dependence of various thermodynamic properties over a wide range. Potentials capable of reproducing the energetics of clusters of different co-ordination numbers and volumes per atom may fare better in this regard.