Beate Schwager

H2O: another ice phase and its melting curve

The large disagreement in the previously measured melting curves of H2O above 20 GPa may be explained by new measurements in the laser-heated diamond cell, revealing a transition from ice VII to a new solid phase. This transition was most likely interpreted as melting in previous melting experiments due to the observed loss of Raman or X-ray signals. The structure of this new phase will therefore be difficult to indentify.

Melting of Sn at high pressure: comparisons with Pb.

Measurements for Sn, made using the laser-heated diamond cell, are reported that extend the melting curve to 68 GPa and 2300 K. Initially the melting temperature of Sn increases linearly with increasing pressure (dT/dP approximately 40 K/GPa) and near 38 GPa (2200 K) the melting curve flattens (dT/dP approximately 0), indicating a zero volume phase change at melting. The results are in good agreement with previously reported shock melting studies. In comparison to Sn the melting curve of Pb is relatively linear to 100 GPa, the highest pressure at which measurements have been made.

Crystal Structure Transformations of Rare-Gas Solids Under Pressure

Pressure-induced structural changes in solid krypton (Kr) and xenon (Xe) have been studied using angle dispersive X-ray diffraction in a diamond-anvil cell (DAC) up to 50 GPa. The analysis of the results shows that in solid Kr (Xe) the phase transition from fcc to hcp starts below 3.2 GPa (1.5 GPa). Albeit the hcp/fcc ratio increases under pressure, both phases coexist up to the highest pressure reached in this study. Room temperature (RT) equations of state (EOS) are determined.