Dynamic ionization of water under extreme conditions

Raman spectroscopy in a laser heated diamond anvil cell and first principles molecular dynamics simulations have been used to study water in the temperature range 300 to 1500 K and at pressures to 56 GPa. We find a substantial decrease in the intensity of the O-H stretch mode in the liquid phase with pressure, and a change in slope of the melting line at 47 GPa and 1000 K. Consistent with these observations, theoretical calculations show that water beyond 50 GPa is "dynamically ionized" in that it consists of very short-lived (<10 fs) H2O, H3O+, and OH- species, and also that the mobility of the oxygen ions decreases abruptly with pressure, while hydrogen ions remain very mobile. We suggest that this regime corresponds to a superionic state.     

Proton disorder and superionicity in hot dense ammonia ice

We report the experimental discovery of a new phase of ammonia ice, stable at pressures above 57 GPa and temperatures above 700 K. The combination of our experimental results and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal that this new phase is a superionic conductor, characterized by a large proton diffusion coefficient (1.0×10(-4) cm(2)/s at 70 GPa, 850 K). Proton diffusion occurs via a Grotthuss-like mechanism, at a surprisingly lower temperature than in water ice. This may have implications for the onset of superionicity in the molecular ice mixtures present in Jovian planets. Our simulations further suggest that the anisotropic proton hopping along different H bonds in the molecular solid may explain the formation of the recently predicted ionic phase at low temperatures.     

High-density strontium hydride: An experimental and theoretical study

Powder x-ray diffraction experiments and first-principles calculations have been carried out to investigate the possibility of a structural phase transition, characterized by a change from ionic to covalent bonding, in strontium hydride at pressures greater than 50 GPa. The powder x-ray diffraction results confirm a previously reported transition from the cotunnite structure to the Ni₂In structure at approximately 8 GPa. The Ni₂In phase remained stable up to the maximum experimental pressure of 113 GPa. The first-principles calculations, however, predict that under hydrostatic conditions a transition from the Ni₂In structure to the AlB₂ structure will occur at 115 GPa. A comparison of the pressure-dependent volume yielded by the respective experimental and theoretical studies suggests that in many cases the bulk modulus obtained from experiments carried out under non-hydrostatic conditions may be overestimated. Raman spectroscopy experiments corroborated the previously proposed Ni₂In structure, as the spectra obtained at pressures greater than 8 GPa exhibited two Raman-active modes, consistent with those expected from the Ni₂In structure.     

Polymerization of formic acid under high pressure

We report Raman, infrared, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, along with ab initio calculations on formic acid (FA) under pressure up to 50 GPa. We find an infinite chain Pna2(1) structure to be a high-pressure phase at room temperature. Our data indicate the symmetrization and a partially covalent character of the intrachain hydrogen bonds above approximately 20 GPa. Raman spectra and XRD patterns indicate a loss of long-range order at pressures above 40 GPa, with a large hysteresis upon decompression. We attribute this behavior to a three-dimensional polymerization of FA.     

High-pressure melting of MgSiO3

The melting curve of MgSiO(3) perovskite has been determined by means of ab initio molecular dynamics complemented by effective pair potentials, and a new phenomenological model of melting. Using first principles ground state calculations, we find that the MgSiO(3) perovskite phase transforms into post perovskite at pressures above 100 GPa, in agreement with recent theoretical and experimental studies. We find that the melting curve of MgSiO(3), being very steep at pressures below 60 GPa, rapidly flattens on increasing pressure. The experimental controversy on the melting of the MgSiO(3) perovskite at high pressures is resolved, confirming the data by Zerr and Boehler.     

Superconducting behavior in compressed solid SiH4 with a layered structure

The electronic and lattice dynamical properties of compressed solid SiH4 have been calculated in the pressure range up to 300 GPa with density functional theory. We find two energetically preferred insulating phases with P2(1)/c and Fdd2 symmetries at low pressures. We demonstrate that the Cmca structure having a layered network is the most likely candidate of the metallic phase of SiH4 over a wide pressure range above 60 GPa. The superconducting transition temperature in this layered metallic phase is found to be in the range of 20-75 K.     

Structural and electronic properties of carbon nanotubes under hydrostatic pressures

We studied the structural and electronic properties of carbon nanotubes under hydrostatic pressures based on molecular dynamics simulations and first principles band structure calculations. It is found that carbon nanotubes experience a hard-to-soft transition as external pressure increases. The bulk modulus of soft phase is two orders of magnitude smaller than that of hard phase. The band structure calculations show that band gap of (10, 0) nanotube increases with the increase of pressure at low pressures. Above a critical pressure (5.70GPa), band gap of (10, 0) nanotube drops rapidly and becomes zero at 6.62GPa. Moreover, the calculated charge density shows that a large pressure can induce an {sp}²-to-{sp}³ bonding transition, which is confirmed by recent experiments on deformed carbon nanotubes.     

Dynamical structure, bonding, and thermodynamics of the superionic sublattice in alpha-AgI

We characterize the superionic phase transition and the lattice and electronic structures of the archetypal type-I superionic conductor alpha-AgI using extensive first-principles molecular dynamics calculations. We find that superionicity is signaled by a phase transition of the silver ions alone. In the superionic phase, the first silver shell surrounding an iodine displays a distinct dynamical structure that would escape a time-averaged characterization, and we capture this structure in a set of ordering rules. The electronic structure demonstrates a unique chemical signature of the weakest-bound silver in the first shell, which in turn is most likely to diffuse. Silver diffusion decreases upon melting, pointing to an unusual entropic contribution to the stability of the superionic phase.     

Pressure-induced transformations and optical properties of the two-dimensional tetragonal polymer of C60 at pressures up to 30 GPa

The Raman spectra of the two-dimensional tetragonal (2D(T)) polymeric phase of C₆₀ have been studied in situ at pressures up to 30 GPa and room temperature. The pressure dependence of the phonon modes shows an irreversible transformation of the material near 20 GPa into a new phase, most probably associated with the covalent bonding between the 2D polymeric sheets. The Raman spectrum of the high-pressure phase is intense and well resolved, and the majority of modes are related to the fullerene molecular cage. The sample recovered at ambient conditions is in a metastable phase and transforms violently under laser irradiation: the transformed material contains mainly dimers and monomers of C₆₀ and small inclusions of the diamond-like carbon phase. The photoluminescence spectra of the 2D(T) polymer of C₆₀ were measured at room temperature and pressure up to 4 GPa. The intensity distribution and the pressure-induced shift of the photoluminescence spectrum drastically differ from those of the C₆₀ monomer. The deformation potential and the Grüneisen parameters of the 2D(T) polymeric phase of C₆₀ have been determined and compared with those of the pristine material.     

Tetrahedral clustering in molten lithium under pressure

A series of electronic and structural transitions are predicted in molten lithium from first principles. A new phase with tetrahedral local order characteristic of sp3 bonded materials and poor electrical conductivity is found at pressures above 150 GPa and temperatures as high as 1000 K. Despite the lack of covalent bonding, weakly bound tetrahedral clusters with finite lifetimes are predicted to exist. The stabilization of this phase in lithium involves a unique mechanism of strong electron localization in interstitial regions and interactions among core electrons. The calculations provide evidence for anomalous melting above 20 GPa, with a melting temperature decreasing below 300 K, and point towards the existence of novel low-symmetry crystalline phases.     

Comparative Study on Pressure-Induced Structural Changes between C 6 O 2 I 4 and C 6 I 6

We have investigated the pressure effects on the structural properties of C 6 O 2 I 4 up to 39 GPa by powder x-ray diffraction measurements, which were compared with those of C 6 I 6 . The diffraction patterns of C 6 O 2 I 4 indicated a phase transition starting at 26.8 GPa. The mixed state of the low- and high-pressure phases continued up to 39 GPa well above an insulator-to-metal transition pressure of 33 GPa. The C 6 O 2 I 4 molecule remains planar structure in the low-pressure phase below 26.8 GPa in contrast to the non-planar molecular structure of C 6 I 6 at ambient and high pressures.     

High pressure investigations of melamine

We have performed mid- and far-infrared (IR), Raman, and angular dispersive X-ray diffraction studies on melamine at high pressure up to 36 GPa. We have confirmed the presence of three phase transitions; the first between 1 and 2 GPa, the second between 7 and 9 GPa, and the third near 16 GPa. We observed a softening of the N–H symmetric and antisymmetric vibrations with pressure, suggesting that intermolecular hydrogen bonding increases as the intermolecular distance decreases similarly to what was observed in triamino-trinitrobenzene. The molecular decompression data from core intramolecular peaks of mid-IR and Raman indicate that melamine did not chemically decompose up to the highest investigated pressures but the sample suffered some irreversible amorphization. We have further clarified the lack of observation of any phase transitions in prior Raman and IR studies by examining the pressure dependence of other uninvestigated modes of vibration.     

压力下CaN_2结构稳定性和电子结构的第一性原理研究

通过运用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算方法结合广义梯度近似对压力下CaN_2的结构稳定性和电子结构进行了理论研究.对结构稳定性的研究表明,ZnCl_2型结构是CaN_2在环境压力下最稳定的结构,而实验上观察到的CaC_2-I型结构是CaN_2高压下(8.7 GPa)的稳定性结构.在50 GPa的压力范围内,CaN_2将发生从ZnCl_2型结构到ThC_2型结构再到CaC_2-I型结构的两次压致结构相变,其相变压力分别为0.81 GPa和8.77 GPa.而对电子结构的研究表明ZnCl_2型、ThC_2型和CaC_2-I型三种结构的CaN_2都表现出了金属特征,三种结构CaN_2当中Ca-N键的离子-共价性特征和N原子间的N=N双键特征得到了确认.     

氨的半水合物的高压拉曼光谱研究

在室温条件下, 利用金刚石对顶砧超高压技术, 对氨的半水合物(2NH3·H2O) 进行了原位高压拉曼光谱研究, 采用红宝石荧光压标测压, 实验的最高压力为41.0 GPa。装入金刚石对顶砧样品腔的初始样品为液态的氨的半水合物, 当压力达到3.5 GPa时, 显微镜下观察到整个样品腔内均匀的出现块状晶体, 同时, 测量到的拉曼谱上出现许多新的拉曼峰。因此, 我们判断在此压力下液态的2NH3·H2O发生了液固相变。当压力增加到19.0 GPa左右时, 2NH3·H2O的拉曼频移随压力变化的曲线有拐点, 并且具有软化特性的N-H伸缩振动模式消失。我们分析这是因为在高压下, 通过O-H…N成键的II型氨分子发生了旋转, 所以2NH3·H2O在此压力下发生了一次固固相变。     

Phase diagram and electrical conductivity of high energy-density water from density functional theory

The electrical conductivity and structure of water between 2000-70,000 K and 0.1-3.7 g/cm3 is studied by finite temperature density functional theory (DFT). Proton conduction is investigated quantitatively by analyzing diffusion, the pair-correlation function, and Wannier center locations, while the electronic conduction is calculated in the Kubo-Greenwood formalism. The conductivity formulation is valid across three phase transitions (molecular liquid, ionic liquid, superionic, electronic liquid). Above 100 GPa the superionic phase directly borders an electronically conducting fluid, not an insulating ionic fluid, as previously concluded. For simulations of high energy-density systems to be quantitative, we conclude that finite temperature DFT should be employed.     

Transition to a virtually incompressible oxide phase at a shock pressure of 120 GPa (1.2 Mbar): Gd3Ga5O12

Cubic, single-crystal, transparent Gd(3)Ga(5)O(12) has a density of 7.10 g/cm(3), a Hugoniot elastic limit of 30 GPa, and undergoes a continuous phase transition from 65 GPa to a quasi-incompressible (QI) phase at 120 GPa. Only diamond has a larger Hugoniot elastic limit. The QI phase of is more incompressible than diamond from 170 to 260 GPa. Electrical conductivity measurements indicate the QI phase has a band gap of 3.1 eV. Gd(3)Ga(5)O(12) can be used to obtain substantially higher pressures and lower temperatures in metallic fluid hydrogen than was achieved previously by shock reverberation between Al(2)O(3) disks.     

Ab initio simulation of phase transitions and dissociation of H2S at high pressure

By ab initio constant pressure molecular dynamics, we have identified the structure of phase V and phase VI of H2S at 35 and 65 GPa, respectively. The theoretical IR spectra of both phases are consistent with experimental findings and support our proposed structural models. We find that phase V is characterized by the presence of charged SH+3 and SH- species which are created and destroyed dynamically, whereas phase VI is no longer a molecular phase but consists of sheets of S with the majority of H intercalated between the layers. The stability of the two phases with respect to dissociation into elemental crystalline hydrogen and sulfur is discussed.     

First-principles calculation of the lattice compressibility, elastic anisotropy and thermodynamic stability of V2GeC

We investigate the elastic and the thermodynamic properties of nanolaminate V2GeC by using the ab initio pseudopotential total energy method.The axial compressibility shows that the c axis is always stiffer than the a axis.The elastic constant calculations demonstrate that the structural stability is within 0-800 GPa.The calculations of Young’s and shear moduli reveal the softening behaviour at about 300 GPa.The Possion ratio makes a higher ionic or a weaker covalent contribution to intra-atomic bonding and the degree of ionicity increases with pressure.The relationship between brittleness and ductility shows that V2GeC is brittle in ambient conditions and the brittleness decreases and ductility increases with pressure.Moveover,we find that V2GeC is largely isotropic in compression and in shear,and the degree of isotropy decreases with pressure.The Grüneisen parameter,the Debye temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient are also successfully obtained for the first time.     

Optical evidence for a nonmolecular phase of nitrogen above 150 GPa

Optical spectroscopy techniques, including visible and near infrared (IR) Raman and synchrotron IR methods have been applied to study solid nitrogen at megabar pressures. We find that nitrogen becomes totally opaque above 150 GPa, accompanied by the disappearance of Raman and IR vibrational excitations, while new broad IR and Raman bands become visible. Optical absorption measurements reveal that the semiconducting absorption edge responsible for the change of color is characterized by the presence of a wide Urbach-like tail and a high-energy (Tauc) region. These data are consistent with the dissociation of molecular nitrogen into a nonmolecular (possibly amorphous) phase.     

Controlling the bonding and band gaps of solid carbon monoxide with pressure

We use a combination of a searching method and first-principles electronic structure calculations to predict novel structures of carbon monoxide (CO) which are energetically more stable than the known structures. The most stable forms of CO at zero pressure consist of metallic polycarbonyl chains with single and double bonds, rather than the familiar triply bonded insulating CO molecules. At pressures >2 GPa the most stable phases are semiconducting and insulating singly bonded three-dimensional framework and layered structures. We also find a molecular Pbcm structure which is more stable than the R3c structure proposed previously for the observed ? phase.