Nuclear quantum effects in graphane

TL;DR

This study investigates nuclear quantum effects in graphane using path-integral molecular dynamics, revealing significant impacts on structural properties and thermal behavior, with results contrasting classical and quantum simulations across a range of temperatures.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of nuclear quantum effects in graphane, highlighting their importance in structural and thermodynamic properties.

Findings

Quantum effects increase interatomic distances and layer area.

In-plane compressibility of graphane is twice that of graphene.

Thermal expansion coefficient approaches zero at low temperature.

Abstract

Graphane is a quasi-two-dimensional material consisting of a single layer of fully hydrogenated graphene, with a C:H ratio of 1. We study nuclear quantum effects in the so-called chair-graphane by using path-integral molecular dynamics (PIMD) simulations. The interatomic interactions are modeled by a tight-binding potential model fitted to density-functional calculations. Finite-temperature properties are studied in the range from 50 to 1500~K. To assess the magnitude of nuclear quantum effects in the properties of graphane, classical molecular dynamics simulations have been also performed. These quantum effects are significant in structural properties such as interatomic distances and layer area at finite temperatures. The in-plane compressibility of graphane is found to be about twice larger than that of graphene, and at low temperature it is 9\% higher than the classical calculation. The thermal expansion coefficient resulting from PIMD simulations vanishes in the zero-temperature limit, in agreement with the third law of Thermodynamics.