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Multiscale schemes for the predictive description and virtual engineering of materials.

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/991008· OSTI ID:991008
This report documents research carried out by the author throughout his 3-years Truman fellowship. The overarching goal consisted of developing multiscale schemes which permit not only the predictive description but also the computational design of improved materials. Identifying new materials through changes in atomic composition and configuration requires the use of versatile first principles methods, such as density functional theory (DFT). Using DFT, its predictive reliability has been investigated with respect to pseudopotential construction, band-gap, van-der-Waals forces, and nuclear quantum effects. Continuous variation of chemical composition and derivation of accurate energy gradients in compound space has been developed within a DFT framework for free energies of solvation, reaction energetics, and frontier orbital eigenvalues. Similar variations have been leveraged within classical molecular dynamics in order to address thermal properties of molten salt candidates for heat transfer fluids used in solar thermal power facilities. Finally, a combination of DFT and statistical methods has been used to devise quantitative structure property relationships for the rapid prediction of charge mobilities in polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
991008
Report Number(s):
SAND2010-6251
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English