Imeall: A Computational Framework for the Calculation of the Atomistic Properties of Grain Boundaries

TL;DR

Imeall is a computational framework that systematically calculates, stores, and analyzes atomistic properties of grain boundaries in materials, facilitating research in materials science with an accessible web-based database.

Contribution

It introduces a structured database and programmable interface for atomistic grain boundary properties applicable to any crystalline material, with automated analysis tools.

Findings

Computed and analyzed grain boundary structures in alpha-iron.

Demonstrated automated structure generation and impurity segregation analysis.

Provided open access via a web framework for the scientific community.

Abstract

We describe the \texttt{Imeall} package for the calculation and indexing of atomistic properties of grain boundaries in materials. The package provides a structured database for the storage of atomistic structures and their associated properties, equipped with a programmable application interface to interatomic potential calculators. The database adopts a general indexing system that allows storing arbitrary grain boundary structures for any crystalline material. The usefulness of the \texttt{Imeall} package is demonstrated by computing, storing, and analysing relaxed grain boundary structures for a dense range of low index orientation axis symmetric tilt and twist boundaries in $\alpha$-iron for various interatomic potentials. The package's capabilities are further demonstrated by carrying out automated structure generation, dislocation analysis, interstitial site detection, and impurity segregation energies across the grain boundary range. All computed atomistic properties are exposed via a web framework, providing open access to the grain boundary repository and the analytic tools suite.