Reactive force field simulation of proton diffusion in BaZrO₃ using an empirical valence bond approach

A new reactive force field to describe proton diffusion within the solid oxide fuel cell material BaZrO₃ has been derived. Using a quantum mechanical potential energy surface, the parameters of an interatomic potential model to describe hydroxyl groups within both pure and yttrium-doped BaZrO₃ have been determined. Reactivity is then incorporated through the use of the empirical valence bond model. Molecular dynamics simulations (EVB-MD) have been performed to explore the diffusion of hydrogen using a stochastic thermostat and barostat whose equations are extended to the isostress–isothermal ensemble. In the low concentration limit, the presence of yttrium is found not to significantly influence the diffusivity of hydrogen, despite the proton having a longer residence time at oxygen adjacent to the dopant. This lack of influence is due to the fact that trapping occurs infrequently, even when the proton diffuses through octahedra adjacent to the dopant. The activation energy for diffusion is found to be 0.42 eV, in good agreement with experimental values, though the prefactor is slightly underestimated.