Transition metals-graphene interaction: the role of the screened van der Waals energy

The interaction of graphene with transition metals is of particular interest for practical applications, which include for instance the efficient production of high-quality graphene. The accurate theoretical description of transition metals-graphene interfaces, however, is a particularly challenging problem due to the complex interplay between van der Waals (vdW) and hybridization effects. Here we apply the DFT/vdW-WF2s method [1], which allows to augment semi-local Density Functional Theory through the introduction of screened vdW interactions. Notably, we find that a reliable modeling of the van der Waals interaction should account for complex metal screening effects, that are due to the combined contributions of the p- and s-like \textit{quasi-free} electrons, and the more \textit{localized} d-states. The resulting geometry and energetic properties are in good agreement with experimental data and sophisticates theoretical calculations. Moreover, the Maximally Localized Wannier Functions underlying the DFT/vdW-WF2s method allow for an intuitive understanding of the complex binding mechanism.\\[4pt] [1] P. L. Silvestrelli and A. Ambrosetti, Phys. Rev. B 87, 075401 (2013).