Assessment of First-Principles Methods in Modeling the Melting Properties of Water

Abstract: First-principles simulations have played a crucial role in deepening our understanding of the thermodynamic properties of water, and machine learning potentials (MLPs) trained on these first-principles data widen the range of accessible properties. However, the capabilities of different first-principles methods are not yet fully understood due to the lack of systematic benchmarks, the underestimation of the uncertainties introduced by MLPs, and the neglect of nuclear quantum effects (NQEs). Here, we systematically assess first-principles methods by calculating key melting properties using path integral molecular dynamics (PIMD) driven by Deep Potential (DP) models trained on data from density functional theory (DFT) with SCAN, revPBE0-D3, SCAN0 and revPBE-D3 functionals, as well as from the MB-pol potential. We find that MB-pol is in qualitatively good agreement with the experiment in all properties tested, whereas the four DFT functionals incorrectly predict that NQEs increase the melting temperature. SCAN and SCAN0 slightly underestimate the density change between water and ice upon melting, but revPBE-D3 and revPBE0-D3 severely underestimate it. Moreover, SCAN and SCAN0 correctly predict that the maximum liquid density occurs at a temperature higher than the melting point, while revPBE-D3 and revPBE0-D3 predict the opposite behavior. Our results highlight limitations in widely used first-principles methods and call for a reassessment of their predictive power in aqueous systems.