Theoretical study of the structural, elastic, electronic and thermal properties of the MAX phase Nb2SiC

Structural, elastic, electronic and thermal properties of the MAX phase Nb2SiC are studied by means of a pseudo-potential plane-wave method based on the density functional theory. The optimized zero pressure geometrical parameters are in good agreement with the available theoretical data. The effect of high pressure, up to 40 GPa, on the lattice constants shows that the contractions along the cc-axis were higher than those along the aa-axis. The elastic constants CijCij and elastic wave velocities are calculated for monocrystal Nb2SiC. Numerical estimations of the bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, average sound velocity and Debye temperature for ideal polycrystalline Nb2SiC aggregates are performed in the framework of the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation. The band structure shows that Nb2SiC is an electrical conductor. The analysis of the atomic site projected densities and the charge density distribution shows that the bonding is of covalent–ionic nature with the presence of metallic character. The density of states at Fermi level is dictated by the niobium d states; Si element has a little effect. Thermal effects on some macroscopic properties of Nb2SiC are predicted using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the lattice vibrations are taken into account. The variations of the primitive cell volume, volume expansion coefficient, bulk modulus, heat capacity and Debye temperature with pressure and temperature in the ranges of 0–40 GPa and 0–2000 K are obtained successfully.

Research highlights
► The strain effect on the structural, elastic and thermodynamic properties was predicted.
► Nb2SiC is an electrical conductor and have a strong directional bonding between Nb and C atoms.
► We predict the thermal effect on the volume, bulk modulus, heat capacities and Debye temperature.
► The bonds Nb–C are stiffer than the Nb–Si bonds.