Behaviour of elastic and ultrasonic properties of curium monopnictides

Abstract

The temperature-dependent elastic and ultrasonic properties of curium monopnictides CmPn (Pn = N, P, As, Sb) have been explored in the present investigation. The second- and third-order elastic constants have been calculated using Coulomb and Born–Mayer potentials using lattice and hardness parameters. Mechanical parameters, such as Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, tetragonal modulus, anisotropic factor, and Poisson’s ratio, have been computed with second-order elastic constants. These materials fulfilled the requirement of the Born stability criterion. The toughness or fracture ratio is found to be more than 0.57 in CmPn, which indicates their brittle nature. In addition, the ultrasonic wave velocity, Debye average velocity, Debye temperature, thermal relaxation time, thermal conductivity, acoustic coupling constant, and ultrasonic attenuation have also been computed along ⟨100⟩, ⟨110⟩, ⟨111⟩ directions at room temperature. The results are discussed in correlation with other similar types of the materials.