Phonon dispersion and thermodynamical properties in ZrB2, NbB2, and MoB2

The structural and lattice dynamical calculations are performed on ZrB2, NbB2, and MoB2 compounds using the first-principles of total energy calculations. Generalized gradient approximations (GGA) are used to model exchange-correlation effects. Structural results of these calculations are consistent with past experimental data and other theoretical findings. Our lattice dynamical results regarding phonon dispersion curves and temperature-dependent behavior of thermodynamical properties (entropy, heat capacity, internal energy, and free energy) contribute to the existing literature on these compounds.