Expanded phase of ZrO2: An ab initio constant-pressure study

Abstract

The stability of ZrO2 in the tensile regime is studied using an ab initio constant-pressure technique. A first-order phase transformation from the baddeleyite structure to an anatase-like structure (I4(1)/amd) is predicted through the constant-pressure simulation. A transformation mechanism at the atomistic level is discussed. Furthermore this phase transformation is studied from the energy-volume calculations. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2009