First principle study of elastic and thermodynamic properties of FeB4 under high pressure

The elastic properties, elastic anisotropy, and thermodynamic properties of the lately synthesized orthorhombic FeB4 at high pressures are investigated using first-principles density functional calculations. The calculated equilibrium parameters are in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical data. The obtained normalized volume dependence of high pressure is consistent with the previous experimental data investigated using high-pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The complete elastic tensors and crystal anisotropies of the FeB4 are also determined in the pressure range of 0-100 GPa. By the elastic stability criteria and vibrational frequencies, it is predicted that the orthorhombic FeB4 is stable up to 100 GPa. In addition, the calculated B/G ratio reveals that FeB4 possesses brittle nature in the range of pressure from 0 to 100 GPa. The calculated elastic anisotropic factors suggest that FeB4 is elastically anisotropic. By using quasi-harmonic Debye model, the compressibility, bulk modulus, the coefficient of thermal expansion, the heat capacity, and the Gruneisen parameter of FeB4 are successfully obtained in the present work. (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.