Structures and Properties of $\beta$-Titanium Doping Trace Transition Metal Elements: a Density Functional Theory Study

Abstract

We systematically calculate the structure, formation enthalpy, formation free energy, elastic constants and electronic structure of Ti$_{0.98}$X$_{0.02}$ system by density functional theory (DFT) simulations to explore the effect of transition metal X (X=Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ni, Pd, Rh, Ru, Tc, and Zn) on the stability mechanism of $\beta$-titanium. Based on our calculations, the results of formation enthalpy and free energy show that adding trace X is beneficial to the thermodynamic stability of $\beta$-titanium. This behavior is well explained by the density of state (DOS). However, the tetragonal shear moduli of Ti$_{0.98}$X$_{0.02}$ systems are negative, indicating that $\beta$-titanium doping with a low concentration of X is still elastically unstable at 0 K. Therefore, we theoretically explain that $\beta$-titanium doping with trace transition metal X is unstable in the ground state.