Calculated structural, electronic and elastic properties of M2GeC (M=Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W)

Using ab initio calculations, we have studied the structural, electronic and elastic properties of M2GeC, with M=Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W. Geometrical optimizations of the unit cell are in agreement with the available experimental data. The band structures show that all studied materials are electrical conductors. The analysis of the site and momentum projected densities shows that bonding is due to M d-C p and M d-Ge p hybridizations. The elastic constants are calculated using the static finite strain technique. The shear modulus C (44), which is directly related to the hardness, reaches its maximum when the valence electron concentration is in the range 8.41-8.50. We derived the bulk and shear moduli, Young's moduli and Poisson's ratio for ideal polycrystalline M2GeC aggregates. We estimated the Debye temperature of M2GeC from the average sound velocity. This is the first quantitative theoretical prediction of the elastic constants of Ti2GeC, V2GeC, Cr2GeC, Zr2GeC, Nb2GeC, Mo2GeC, Hf2GeC, Ta2GeC and W2GeC compounds, and it still awaits experimental confirmation.