Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of Europium Monochalcogenides

The ultrasonic properties of europium chalcogenides EuX (X = O, S and Te) have been computed at room temperature along <100>, <110> and <111> orientations. The higher order elastic constants have also been computed using Coulomb and Born-Mayer potential upto second nearest neighbour and these are applied to compute ultrasonic properties. The mechanical and thermal properties like Youngs modulus, bulk modulus, Cauchy's relation, Zener anisotropy factor, fracture to toughness ratio, Debye temperature have also been calculated for finding the future performance of these materials. Since these materials follow the Born stability criteria, so these are mechanically stable. The fracture to toughness ratio is less than 1.75, hence these are brittle in nature. The results of present investigation have been analysed in correlation with mechanical and thermophysical properties of the similar materials.