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The mystery of helium at extreme pressure: How does this gas form a mysterious solid?
In our daily lives, helium is often associated with balloons and entertainment at parties. But this colorless and odorless helium actually has more mysterious properties, especially under extreme pressure environments. Helium is a unique element in that it has the lowest melting point and hardly reacts with other substances at normal temperature and pressure. However, when helium is subjected to extraordinary pressures, it can form a solid, which is a topic that scientists continue to explore.
Helium's high ionization energy and complete electron shell make it almost unreactive under normal conditions, but under extreme conditions, it can form a stable solid.
Chemical properties of helium
Helium is a noble gas with a first ionization energy of 24.57 eV, the highest of all elements. This makes it difficult for helium to form compounds under normal circumstances. Normally, a helium atom won't readily accept any extra electrons, so its chemical reactivity with other elements is almost zero. When put under extreme pressure, though, helium behaves in surprising ways.
Helium compounds under high pressure
Studies have shown that helium can form a solid called disodium helium (Na2He) with sodium under high pressure, and this compound becomes stable at pressures above 113 GPa. This crystal structure made of helium and sodium looks like fluorite and demonstrates helium's ability to form a solid under special conditions.
Disodium helium is predicted to be thermodynamically stable at pressures up to 160 GPa and kinetically stable at pressures up to 100 GPa.
The combination of helium and silicon
Research in recent years has also found that helium can enter certain silicate structures and form helium sandwich structures. For example, when helium is added to a silicate called black quartz, a new interlayer crystal is formed, which means that helium has the ability to penetrate the solid structure and change its properties under certain conditions.
The mysterious solid form of helium
Helium's mysterious solid state isn't limited to a single form. Under different pressure conditions, helium combined with other elements can form a variety of different phases. For example, during the formation of a helium interlayer, helium can combine with ice at pressures up to 480 MPa to form solid helium hydrate. The discovery of this phenomenon not only challenges the previous understanding of helium, but also opens new doors for future materials research.
Helium's diversity and specificity cause it to exhibit unique behaviors in extreme environments, which makes scientists curious about its study.
Application prospects of helium
Inspired by helium's behavior under extreme conditions, scientists are beginning to explore its possible applications in future materials science and commercial uses. The special properties of helium not only make it an important component of superconductors, electronic components and other high-tech products, but also provide ideas for the research and development of helium in new energy materials.
Future Research Directions
With further research on helium, more helium compounds formed under extreme pressures may be discovered in the future. The properties of helium not only help us understand the chemistry of the universe, but also may advance the development of new technologies. This has all prompted scientists to delve deeper into how this gas interacts with other elements in the universe.
In its gaseous state, helium is rare and inactive, but under extreme pressure, it can display an amazing ability to combine. Does this indicate that the relationship between elements is more complex than we thought?
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