Pressure-induced coordination changes in LiBO2

The coordination and structure changes in LiBO₂ have been studied at high pressure and temperature up to 5 GPa and 1500 °C using in-situ high-pressure differential thermal analysis, infrared absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction. The layer framework structure of α-LiBO₂ is found to be compressed easily along the direction of c-axis, resulting in the formation of tetra-coordinated BO₄ units. The phase transition boundaries between α- and γ-LiBO₂ as well as between amorphous LiBO₂ hydrate and γ-LiBO₂ have negative pressure–temperature slopes. The conditions for transformation from α- to γ-LiBO₂ are lower than that necessary to transform amorphous LiBO₂ hydrate to γ-LiBO₂. Moreover, the melting curve of LiBO₂ has also been determined and has a positive pressure–temperature slope. Upon quenching from high pressure, LiBO₂ may not contain ^[3]B–O–^[3]B rings but contain more fraction of ^[4]B units with increasing pressure.