Quantifying Free-volume Topology in Atomistic Structures Through a Combination of Voxelization and Graph Theory

Abstract: We introduce a new computational methodology for the identification and characterization of free volume within/around atomistic configurations. This scheme employs a three-stage workflow, by which spheres are iteratively grown inside of voxels, and ultimately converted to planar graphs, which are then characterized via a graph-based order parameter. Our approach is computationally efficient, physically intuitive, and universally transferable to any material system. Validation of our methodology is performed on several sets of materials problems: (1) classification of unique free volumes in various crystal phases, (2) characterization of free volume defects in metals/alloys, and (3) autonomous detection and classification of complex surface defects during epitaxial growth simulations. Our method accurately identifies and characterizes unique free volumes over a multitude of systems and length scales, indicating its potential for future use in understanding the relationship between free volume morphology and material properties under both static and dynamic conditions.