Structural, electronic and optical properties of ABTe2 (A = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs and B = Sc, Y, La): Insights from first-principles computations

DFT insights of the physical, optoelectronic, and energy loss function features of Cd-doped Bi2O3 oxide materials for photocatalytic applications

Photocatalytic water splitting is viable for sustainable H2 production, utilizing water and solar energy through efficient photocatalysts. The first-principles method was employed to investigate the photocatalytic performance of cubic Bi2O3 comprehensively, and Cd-doped Bi2O3 structure properties were determined using the PBE-GGA functional, confirming simple cubic structure arrangement with space group 195 (P-23). Electronic analysis through total density of states (TDOS) and (PDOS) revealed significant hybridization between Bi 6s and O 2p orbitals due to doping. Moreover, charge density distributions highlighted the ionic nature of the chemical bonding, further influencing the electronic and optical properties. A key finding of this study is the observed band gap (Eg) which directly impacts the light absorption efficiency of Bi2O3 for water-splitting applications. The results demonstrate Cd doping effectively tailors the electronic structure, potentially enhancing photocatalytic activity. These insights provide a valuable foundation for optimizing Bi2O3-based materials for renewable hydrogen production.

The Impact of Hydrostatic Pressure on the Structural, Mechanical, Thermal, and Optoelectronic Characteristics of the RbV3Sb5 Kagome Compound: Ab initio Approach

We studied the RbV3Sb5 kagome compound's structural, mechanical, thermal, and optoelectronic properties. Mulliken and Hirshfeld population analysis found ionic and covalent connections in RbV3Sb5. The Born stability criterion shows that pure RbV3Sb5 is mechanically stable. The precise measurement of 3.96 indicates that our sample has higher machinability at 20 GPa. Low anticipated hardness of RbV3Sb5 suggests it can be used as a soft solid lubricant. Hardness ratings rise with pressure, however there are exceptions. Pressure causes large nonmonotonic changes in RbV3Sb5's anisotropic characteristics. A comparable 20 GPa Zener anisotropic value, RbV3Sb5 has the highest. The structure's projected Debye temperature at 0 GPa is 284.39 K, indicating softness. Dispersion curves with negative frequencies suggest ground state structural dynamical instability. The structure has no negative-energy phonon branches under 10 GPa stress. From band structure and density of state analysis, the structure behaves metallically under hydrostatic pressure. Also, the structure has maximal ultra-violet conductivity and absorption. The absorption coefficient, conductivity, and loss function plots show uniform patterns at all pressures. As pressure rises, these graphs' peaks blue shift.

First-principles investigation of nonmetal doped single-layer BiOBr as a potential photocatalyst with a low recombination rate

Nonmetal doping is an effective approach to modify the electronic band structure and enhance the photocatalytic performance of bismuth oxyhalides.