Amorphous diamond: a high-pressure superhard carbon allotrope

Compressing glassy carbon above 40 GPa, we have observed a new carbon allotrope with a fully sp(3)-bonded amorphous structure and diamondlike strength. Synchrotron x-ray Raman spectroscopy revealed a continuous pressure-induced sp(2)-to-sp(3) bonding change, while x-ray diffraction confirmed the perseverance of noncrystallinity. The transition was reversible upon releasing pressure. Used as an indenter, the glassy carbon ball demonstrated exceptional strength by reaching 130 GPa with a confining pressure of 60 GPa. Such an extremely large stress difference of >70 GPa has never been observed in any material besides diamond, indicating the high hardness of this high-pressure carbon allotrope.     

"点石成金?"--碳结构超高压物理力学

文章介绍了石墨和碳纳米管在超高压和／或纳米压痕下的层间sp^2-sp^3键转化、软硬相转换、纳米硬度等研究进展．通过量子力学和分子动力学建模分析研究，发现超高压下石墨和碳纳米管存在软相向硬相转变的双相机制，给出了超高压获取石墨和碳纳米管超硬相的条件．理论计算与实验结果吻合很好，并能合理地解释有关石墨和碳纳米管超高压实验中看似矛盾的各种实验现象．提出了碳结构超高压物理力学概念，可为超高压碳相关物质相变、物化性质调控提供理论方法．     

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.     

压力诱导酌拓扑绝缘体化合物Bi2Te3常压相的超导性

通过高压电阻测量,发现了拓扑绝缘体化合物BizTe3压力诱导的超导性,在3-6GPa的压力范围内,超导临界温度L约为3K．高压下原位同步辐射的结果证明这个超导相来源于常压相结构．通过霍尔效应的测量,发现超导的Bi2Te3样品的载流子为P型．对高压同步辐射结果Reitveld精修得到的晶格参数和原子位置,并以此进行第一性...     

High-pressure phase transition of Bi2Fe4O9

The high-pressure behaviour of Bi2Fe4O9 was analysed by in situ powder and single-crystal x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Pressures up to 34.3(8) GPa were generated using the diamond anvil cell technique. A reversible phase transition is observed at approximately 6.89(6) GPa and the high-pressure structure is stable up to 26.3(1) GPa. At higher pressures the onset of amorphization is observed. The crystal structures were refined from single-crystal data at ambient pressure and pressures of 4.49(2), 6.46(2), 7.26(2) and 9.4(1) GPa. The high-pressure structure is isotypic to the high-pressure structure of Bi2Ga4O9. The lower phase transition pressure of Bi2Fe4O9 with respect to that of Bi2Ga4O9 (16 GPa) confirms the previously proposed strong influence of cation substitution on the high-pressure stability and the misfit of Ga3+ and Fe3+ in tetrahedral coordination at high pressure. A fit of a second-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state to the p–V data results in K0 = 74(3) GPa for the low-pressure phase and K0 = 79(2) GPa for the high-pressure phase. The mode Grüneisen parameters were obtained from Raman-spectroscopic measurements.     

Structural investigation of LaAlO3 up to 63 GPa

We report a high-pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction on a LaAlO(3) single crystal. The transition from rhombohedral to cubic at 14.8 GPa is confirmed by the loss of the superstructure reflections, whose intensity shows a linear pressure dependence, characteristic of a second-order transition. The crystal remains cubic up to 63 GPa, the highest pressure reached, which provides a confirmation over a very large pressure range of the general rules for the evolution of distortions of perovskites under pressure. We report the parameters of the Birch-Murnaghan equations of state in the low- and high-pressure phases and discuss the evolution of the bulk modulus.     

Formation of sp(3) bonding in nanoindented carbon nanotubes and graphite

Nanoindentation-induced interlayer bond switching and phase transformation in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphite are simulated by molecular dynamics. Both graphite and CNTs experience a soft-to-hard phase transformation at room temperature at compressive stresses of 12 and 16 GPa, respectively. Further penetration leads to the formation of interlayer sp(3) bonds, which are reversible upon unloading if the compressive stress is under about 70 GPa, beyond which permanent interlayer sp(3) bonds form. During nanoindentation, the maximum nanohardness of graphite can reach 109 GPa, and CNTs 120 GPa, which is comparable to that of diamond.     

High pressure X-ray diffraction study of CaMnO3 perovskite

Using a diamond anvil cell device and synchrotron radiation,the in-situ high-pressure structure of CaMnO3 has been investigated.In the pressure up to 36.5 GPa,no pressure-induced phase transition is observed.The pressure dependence on the lattice parameters of CaMnO3 is reported,and the relationship of the axial compression coefficients is βa >βc > βb.The isothermal bulk modulus K298=224(25)GPa is also obtained by fitting the pressure-volume data using the Murnaghan equation of state.     

LiTaO3晶体高压结构相变的理论研究

利用基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势结合局域密度近似的从头算方法,计算了LiTaO3晶体在0~200 GPa压力范围内的冷压曲线(P-V/V0)和零温焓,以研究它的高压结构相变.参照同构体LiNbO3的高压相结构,对LiTaO3的菱形相(R3c对称群,室温大气压结构)和正交相(Pbnm对称群)进行计算.结果表明,菱形相压缩线与低压冲击实验数据和静压结果符合较好,而正交相压缩线与扣除热压贡献的高压冲击实验数据相符;正交相更难压缩且各轴向的压缩率不同,对应的常态密度比菱形相高约24%.理论预测的相变起始压力约为23 GPa.由此可见LiTaO3的冲击高压相具有正交对称性,与LiNbO3的室温高压相类似.     

第一性原理研究H_2O分子在CaCO_3(104)表面吸附

基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法模拟研究H_2O在CaCO_3(104)表面的吸附特征.首先,研究H_2O分子在CaCO_3(104)表面的顶位、桥位(短桥位、长桥位)和穴位上垂直和平行表面两种类型下的8种高对称吸附结构模型,结合吸附能和稳定吸附构象确定最优吸附位.而后,基于H_2O/CaCO_3(104)最优吸附结构模型,研究吸附前后H_2O和CaCO_3(104)表面的物理结构、电子结构(Mulliken电荷布居数、态密度、电子局域函数)的特征,分析H_2O/CaCO_3(104)表面之间的相互作用以及成键机理.研究结果:吸附能和体系稳定构象显示H_2O分子/CaCO_3(104)表面的最稳定吸附结构为穴位-平行.在穴位-平行位吸附后,H_2O分子的O-H键长和H-O-H键角均发生改变; CaCO_3晶体平行和垂直(104)表面方向上原子位置均发生改变,表面层变化最大;即吸附作用对H_2O分子和CaCO_3晶体的物理结构均产生较大影响; H_2O/CaCO3(104)最优吸附体系的Mulliken电荷布居数、电子态密度、电子局域函数的研究均说明H_2O分子与CaCO3(104)之间存在电子的转移形成化学键.其中,Ca-O(H_2O)形成离子键,H(H_2O)-O(CaCO_3)之间存在氢键作用.本文研究揭示了方解石表面水湿性的原因,同时为方解石润湿性的深入研究奠定基础.     

Crystal structure of cold compressed graphite

Through a systematic structural search we found an allotrope of carbon with Cmmm symmetry which we predict to be more stable than graphite for pressures above 10 GPa. This material, which we refer to as Z-carbon, is formed by pure sp(3) bonds and it provides an explanation to several features in experimental x-ray diffraction and Raman spectra of graphite under pressure. The transition from graphite to Z-carbon can occur through simple sliding and buckling of graphene sheets. Our calculations predict that Z-carbon is a transparent wide band-gap semiconductor with a hardness comparable to diamond.     

α-C∶H膜化学结构对光学性能的影响

 选用体积分数为99.999 9%的H₂及反式-2-丁烯（T2B）为工作气体,利用低压等离子体增强化学气相沉积法制备了α-C∶H薄膜。利用傅里叶变换红外光谱仪和X射线光电子能谱对薄膜化学键和电子结构进行分析,并结合高斯分峰拟合分析了薄膜中sp³/sp²杂化键比值和sp³C杂化键分数。结果表明：薄膜中氢含量较高,主要以sp³C—H形式存在;工作气压越高,制备的薄膜中C=C键含量越少,薄膜中sp³/sp²杂化键比值和sp³C杂化键分数增加,薄膜稳定性提高。应用UV-VIS光谱仪,获得了波长在400~1 000 nm范围内薄膜的光吸收特性,结果显示: α-C∶H薄膜透过率可达98%。光学常数公式计算得到工作压强为4~14 Pa时光学带隙在2.66~2.76之间,并均随着工作气压的升高而增大。结果表明,随工作气压的升高,薄膜内sp³键减小,从而促使透过率、光学带隙增大。     

高压下Nb3Sn单晶的超导相转变

研究高压下Nb₃Sn单晶的超导相转变行为对探究力学变形诱导的材料超导性能弱化机理有重要意义。通过分子动力学模拟研究了Nb₃Sn单晶在高压下的原子尺度变形和晶体结构变化,在此基础上,建立了高压下Nb₃Sn单晶的超导相转变模型,模型预测结果与实验观测结果吻合较好。结果表明:静水压作用下,Nb₃Sn单晶体发生了明显的晶格畸变,但晶体结构保持完整;压力诱导的费米面上电子态密度的变化在高压下Nb₃Sn单晶体超导相转变中起主导作用。所得研究结果为研究高压下Nb₃Sn多晶体以及复合多晶体的相转变行为奠定了基础,同时有助于进一步认识Nb₃Sn材料超导性能的弱化机理。     

High pressure X-ray diffraction study of SrMnO3 perovskite

Using a diamond anvil cell device and synchrotron radiation, the in-situ high-pressure structure of SrMnO3 has been investigated. At pressure up to 28.6 GPa, no pressure-induced phase transition is observed. The lattice parameters as a function of pressure is reported, and the relationship of the axial compression coefficients is β<,a>> β<,c>. The isothermal bulk modulus K<,298>=266(4) GPa is also obtained by fitting the pressure- volume data using the Murnaghan equation of state.     

α-C∶H膜化学结构对光学性能的影响

 选用体积分数为99.999 9%的H₂及反式-2-丁烯（T2B）为工作气体,利用低压等离子体增强化学气相沉积法制备了α-C∶H薄膜。利用傅里叶变换红外光谱仪和X射线光电子能谱对薄膜化学键和电子结构进行分析,并结合高斯分峰拟合分析了薄膜中sp³/sp²杂化键比值和sp³C杂化键分数。结果表明：薄膜中氢含量较高,主要以sp³C—H形式存在;工作气压越高,制备的薄膜中C=C键含量越少,薄膜中sp³/sp²杂化键比值和sp³C杂化键分数增加,薄膜稳定性提高。应用UV-VIS光谱仪,获得了波长在400~1 000 nm范围内薄膜的光吸收特性,结果显示: α-C∶H薄膜透过率可达98%。光学常数公式计算得到工作压强为4~14 Pa时光学带隙在2.66~2.76之间,并均随着工作气压的升高而增大。结果表明,随工作气压的升高,薄膜内sp³键减小,从而促使透过率、光学带隙增大。     

Fe3O4/β-CD的高压电学性质研究

 高压下的电学性质测量是获得材料物理性质的有效手段。利用集成在金刚石对顶砧上的薄膜微电路,测量了高压下Fe₃O₄/β-CD（β-糊精）的电导率,并分析了电导率随压力的变化关系。在0～39.9 GPa范围内,Fe₃O₄/β-CD的电导率随压力的增加而逐渐增大,并呈半导体的特征;而在17.0 GPa处其电导率发生突变,表明样品发生了高压相变。在卸压过程中,电导率随压力的变化呈线性关系,并且卸压后样品的电导率不能回到最初的状态,推测这是一个不可逆的高压结构相变。     

Pressure-induced phase transition in transition metal trifluorides

As a fundamental thermodynamic variable, pressure can alter the bonding patterns and drive phase transitions leading to the creation of new high-pressure phases with exotic properties that are inaccessible at ambient pressure. Using the swarm intelligence structural prediction method, the phase transition of TiF₃, from R—3c to the Pnma phase, was predicted at high pressure, accompanied by the destruction of TiF₆ octahedra and formation of TiF₈ square antiprismatic units. The Pnma phase of TiF₃, formed using the laser-heated diamond-anvil-cell technique was confirmed via high-pressure x-ray diffraction experiments. Furthermore, the in situ electrical measurements indicate that the newly found Pnma phase has a semiconducting character, which is also consistent with the electronic band structure calculations. Finally, it was shown that this pressure-induced phase transition is a general phenomenon in ScF₃, VF₃, CrF₃, and MnF₃, offering valuable insights into the high-pressure phases of transition metal trifluorides.     

Experimental Observation of Phase Transition in Sb203 under High Pressure

The in situ high-pressure behavior of the semiconductor antimony trioxide(Sb_2O_s) is investigated by the Raman spectroscopy techniques and angle-dispersive synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction in a diamond anvil cell up to31.5 and 30.7 GPa,respectively.New peaks observed in the external lattice mode range in the Raman spectra at 13.5 GPa suggest that the structural phase transition occurs.The group mode(140 cm~(-1)) in Sb_2O_3 exhibits anomalous pressure dependence;that is,the frequency decreases gradually with the increasing pressure.High pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements at room temperature reveal that the transition from the orthorhombic structure to high-pressure new phase occurs at about 14.2 GPa,corresponding to the softening of the group optic mode(140 cm~(-1)).     

Dimensional crossover tuned by pressure in layered magnetic NiPS_3

The physical properties of most 2D materials are highly dependent on the nature of their interlayer interaction. In-depth studies of the interlayer interaction are beneficial to the understanding of the physical properties of 2D materials and permit the development of related devices. Layered magnetic NiPS_3 has unique magnetic and electronic properties. The electronic band structure and corresponding magnetic state of NiPS_3 are expected to be sensitive to the interlayer interaction, which can be tuned by external pressure. Here, we report an insulator-metal transition accompanied by the collapse of magnetic order during the 2D-3D structural crossover induced by hydrostatic pressure. A two-stage phase transition from a monoclinic(C2/m) to a trigonal(P31m)lattice is identified via ab initio simulations and confirmed via high-pressure X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering; this transition corresponds to a layer-by-layer slip mechanism along the a-axis. Temperature-dependent resistance measurements and room temperature infrared spectroscopy under different pressures demonstrate that the insulator-metal transition and the collapse of the magnetic order occur at ~20 GPa, which is confirmed by low-temperature Raman scattering measurements and theoretical calculations. These results establish a strong correlation between the structural change, electric transport, and magnetic phase transition and expand our understanding of layered magnetic materials. Moreover, the structural transition caused by the interlayer displacement has significance for designing similar devices at ambient pressure.     

Phase transitions in KIO(3)

The high-pressure behavior of KIO(3) was studied up to 30?GPa using single crystal and powder x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, second harmonic generation (SHG) experiments and density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations. Triclinic KIO(3) shows two pressure-induced structural phase transitions at 7?GPa and at 14?GPa. Single crystal x-ray diffraction at 8.7(1)?GPa was employed to solve the structure of the first high-pressure phase (space group R3, a?=?5.89(1) ?, α?=?62.4(1)°). The bulk modulus, B, of this phase was obtained by fitting a second order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state (eos) to synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data resulting in B(exp,second)?=?67(3)?GPa. The DFT model gave B(DFT,second)?=?70.9?GPa, and, for a third order Birch-Murnaghan eos, B(DFT,third)?=?67.9?GPa with a pressure derivative of [Formula: see text]. Both high-pressure transformations were detectable by Raman spectroscopy and the observation of second harmonic signals. The presence of strong SHG signals shows that all high-pressure phases are acentric. By using different pressure media, we showed that the transition pressures are very strongly influenced by shear stresses. Earlier work on low- and high-temperature transitions was complemented by low-temperature heat capacity measurements. We found no evidence for the presence of an orientational glass, in contrast to earlier dielectric studies, but consistent with earlier low-temperature diffraction studies.