Discovery of ABO4 scheelites with the extra low thermal conductivity through high-throughput calculations
Yuchen Liu, Dechang Jia, Yu Zhou, Yanchun Zhou, Juanli Zhao, Qian Li, Bin Liu
Abstract
Searching for new materials with extra low thermal conductivities is significant in numerous fields like thermal barrier coatings and thermoelectric devices. Traditional multiple-component design has successfully reduced the thermal conductivity, but it also dramatically increases the complexity of manufactural technologies and the risk of material failures. In this work, a specific category known as ABO4 scheelites that with both simple crystal structure and the structural signature of the low lattice thermal conductivity is explored. High-throughput calculations are employed to screen for the materials with the targeted performance by multi-dimensional mechanical/thermal property criteria and a database of 46 stable scheelites is constructed. Seven scheelites with both ultra-low thermal conductivities (<1.2 W/(m∙K)) and quasi-ductility are predicted to be novel thermal insulation materials. Low thermal conductivities prefer the scheelites with large valence disparity between “A” and “B” cations and/or small ionic radius ratio. The adopted strategy starting from the structural fingerprint and the data-driven material selection is expected to be a reference of future structural and functional ceramics design.