In the present work, we report a detailed density functional theory calculation on polymorphic InVO 4 phases by means of projector augmented wave method. The computed first-order structural phase transformation from orthorhombic (Cmcm) to monoclinic (P2/c) structure is found to occur around 5.6 GPa along with a large volume collapse of 16.6%, which is consistent with previously reported experimental data. This transformation also leads to an increase in the coordination number of vanadium atom from 4 to 6. The computed equilibrium and high pressure structural properties of both InVO 4 phases, including unit cell parameters, equation of state, and bulk moduli, are in good agreement with the available experimental data. In addition, compressibility is found to be highly anisotropic and the b-axis being more compressible than the other for both the structures. Electronic band structures for both the phases were calculated, and the band gap for orthorhombic and monoclinic InVO 4 are found to be 4.02 and 1.67 eV, respectively, within the Tran-Blaha Modified Becke-Johnson potential as implemented in linearized augmented planewave method. We further examined the optical properties such as dielectric function, refractive index, and absorption spectra for both the structures. From the implications of these results, it can be proposed that the high pressure InVO 4 phase can be more useful than orthorhombic phase for photo catalytic applications.

The impact of Ta doping on two orthoniobates SmNbO4 and HoNbO4 has been studied using a combination of high-resolution powder diffraction and Density-Functional Theory calculations. In both ANb1-xTaxO4 (A =...

The stereochemical activity of lone pair electrons plays a central role in determining the structural and electronic properties of both chemically simple materials such as H 2 O, as well as more complex condensed phases such as photocatalysts or thermoelectrics. TlReO 4 is a rare example of a non-magnetic material exhibiting a re-entrant phase transition and emphanitic behavior in the longrange structure. Here, we describe the role of the Tl + 6s 2 lone pair electrons in these unusual phase transitions and illustrate its tunability by chemical doping, which has broad implications for functional materials containing lone pair bearing cations. Firstprinciples density functional calculations clearly show the contribution of the Tl + 6s 2 in the valence band region. Local structure analysis, via neutron total scattering, revealed that changes in the long-range structure of TlReO 4 occur due to changes in the correlation length of the Tl + lone pairs. This has a significant effect on the anion interactions, with long-range ordered lone pairs creating a more densely packed structure. This resulted in a trade-off between anionic repulsions and lone pair correlations that lead to symmetry lowering upon heating in the long-range structure, whereby lattice expansion was necessary for the Tl + lone pairs to become highly correlated. Similarly, introducing lattice expansion through chemical pressure allowed long-range lone pair correlations to occur over a wider temperature range, demonstrating a method for tuning the energy landscape of lone pair containing functional materials.

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