Universal machine learning interatomic potentials poised to supplant DFT in modeling general defects in metals and random alloys

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Hauptverfasser: Shuang, Fei, Wei, Zixiong, Liu, Kai, Gao, Wei, Dey, Poulumi
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Shuang, Fei
Wei, Zixiong
Liu, Kai
Gao, Wei
Dey, Poulumi
author_facet Shuang, Fei
Wei, Zixiong
Liu, Kai
Gao, Wei
Dey, Poulumi
contents Recent advances in machine learning, combined with the generation of extensive density functional theory (DFT) datasets, have enabled the development of universal machine learning interatomic potentials (uMLIPs). These models offer broad applicability across the periodic table, achieving first-principles accuracy at a fraction of the computational cost of traditional DFT calculations. In this study, we demonstrate that state-of-the-art pretrained uMLIPs can effectively replace DFT for accurately modeling complex defects in a wide range of metals and alloys. Our investigation spans diverse scenarios, including grain boundaries and general defects in pure metals, defects in high-entropy alloys, hydrogen-alloy interactions, and solute-defect interactions. Remarkably, the latest EquiformerV2 models achieve DFT-level accuracy on comprehensive defect datasets, with root mean square errors (RMSE) below 5 meV/atom for energies and 100 meV/Å for forces, outperforming specialized machine learning potentials such as moment tensor potential and atomic cluster expansion. We also present a systematic analysis of accuracy versus computational cost and explore uncertainty quantification for uMLIPs. A detailed case study of tungsten (W) demonstrates that data on pure W alone is insufficient for modeling complex defects in uMLIPs, underscoring the critical importance of advanced machine learning architectures and diverse datasets, which include over 100 million structures spanning all elements. These findings establish uMLIPs as a robust alternative to DFT and a transformative tool for accelerating the discovery and design of high-performance materials.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2502_03578
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Universal machine learning interatomic potentials poised to supplant DFT in modeling general defects in metals and random alloys
Shuang, Fei
Wei, Zixiong
Liu, Kai
Gao, Wei
Dey, Poulumi
Materials Science
Computational Physics
Recent advances in machine learning, combined with the generation of extensive density functional theory (DFT) datasets, have enabled the development of universal machine learning interatomic potentials (uMLIPs). These models offer broad applicability across the periodic table, achieving first-principles accuracy at a fraction of the computational cost of traditional DFT calculations. In this study, we demonstrate that state-of-the-art pretrained uMLIPs can effectively replace DFT for accurately modeling complex defects in a wide range of metals and alloys. Our investigation spans diverse scenarios, including grain boundaries and general defects in pure metals, defects in high-entropy alloys, hydrogen-alloy interactions, and solute-defect interactions. Remarkably, the latest EquiformerV2 models achieve DFT-level accuracy on comprehensive defect datasets, with root mean square errors (RMSE) below 5 meV/atom for energies and 100 meV/Å for forces, outperforming specialized machine learning potentials such as moment tensor potential and atomic cluster expansion. We also present a systematic analysis of accuracy versus computational cost and explore uncertainty quantification for uMLIPs. A detailed case study of tungsten (W) demonstrates that data on pure W alone is insufficient for modeling complex defects in uMLIPs, underscoring the critical importance of advanced machine learning architectures and diverse datasets, which include over 100 million structures spanning all elements. These findings establish uMLIPs as a robust alternative to DFT and a transformative tool for accelerating the discovery and design of high-performance materials.
title Universal machine learning interatomic potentials poised to supplant DFT in modeling general defects in metals and random alloys
topic Materials Science
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.03578