Fangming Liu

Hardness and elastic moduli of high pressure synthesized MoB2 and WB2 compacts

High pressure and high temperature synthesized MoB2 and WB2 compacts were investigated using X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscope, scanning electron microscope, Vickers indentation test and ultrasonic measurements. Experiments showed that both MoB2 and WB2 compacts are phase pure and with a grain size of 100–200 nm. Vickers indentation test under a large loading force of 49 N showed that the Vickers hardness of MoB2 and WB2 are about 21 and 22 GPa, respectively. The bulk modulus and shear modulus are about 296 GPa, and 190 GPa for MoB2 and 349 and 200 GPa for WB2 through ultrasonic measurements. Our results indicate that MoB2 and WB2 are both hard materials with a hardness similar to that of tungsten carbide, which is widely used in industry.

High pressure synthesis and properties studies on spherical bulk ϵ-Fe3N

Spherical iron nitride (ϵ-Fe3N) of 4 mm in diameter was synthesized by a high pressure solid-state metathesis reaction between alkaline or alkaline-earth metal ferrite (NaFeO2, MgFe2O4, and Ca2Fe2O5) and boron nitride. The Fe/N atomic ratio of the obtained crystals is close to 3:1 by means of energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and chemical reaction analysis. Bulk modulus B0 = 154(2) GPa with a fixed pressure derivative is determined by high pressure synchrotron axial X-ray diffraction measurement. ϵ-Fe3N is thermally stable in the air below 500°C by in situ high-temperature Raman spectroscopy. Vickers hardness tests show that the Hv is 5.9 GPa with a load of 5 N, and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements show that saturation magnetization (σs) is 88.53 emu/g and coercivity value (Hc) is 466.67 Oe.

Exploring the behavior of molybdenum diboride (MoB2): A high pressure x-ray diffraction study

Investigation of the equation of state of molybdenum diboride (MoB2) has been performed to 24.1GPa using synchrotron radiation angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction techniques (ADXRD) in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) at room temperature. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray powder diffraction data reveals that the rhombohedral structure MoB2 is stable up to 24.1GPa. The ADXRD data yield a bulk modulus K-0 - 314(11) GPa with a pressure derivative K-0(!) - 6.4(1.5). The experimental data are discussed and compared to the results of first-principles calculations. In addition, the compressibility of the unit cell axes (a and c axes) of MoB2 demonstrates an anisotropic property with pressure increasing

Plastic deformation and sintering of alumina under high pressure

Plastic deformation of alumina (Al2O3) under high pressure was investigated by observing the shape changes of spherical particles, and the near fully dense transparent bulks were prepared at around 5.5 GPa and 900 °C. Through analyzing the deformation features, densities, and residual micro-strain of the Al2O3 compacts prepared under high pressures and temperatures (2.0–5.5 GPa and 600–1200 °C), the effects of plastic deformation on the sintering behavior of alumina have been demonstrated. Under compression, the microscopic deviatoric stress caused by grain-to-grain contact could initiate the plastic deformation of individual particles, eliminate pores of the polycrystalline samples, and enhance the local atomic diffusion at the grain boundaries, thus produced transparent alumina bulks.

Stress control of heterogeneous nanocrystalline diamond sphere through pressure-temperature tuning

The hollow nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) sphere, a promising ablator material for inertial confinement fusion capsule, is generally fabricated by the chemical vapor deposition method. Herein, we report on a method to transform hydrogenated tetrahedral amorphous carbon coatings on spherical molybdenum (Mo) substrates into nanocrystalline diamond films via a designed high pressure high temperature (HPHT) treatment that balances the mismatch in the thermal expansion coefficient between a diamond coating and the Mo substrate through the difference in the bulk modulus. The results show that the density and strength of the diamond shell increase significantly and the residual stress is eliminated as well. The methodology of the designed HPHT treatment can not only provide an alternative way to fabricate NCD spheres but also can apply to other heterogeneous material stress control applications.

Hardness and compression behavior of niobium carbide

ABSTRACT We report the combined experimental and theoretical investigations on high pressure structural stability of niobium carbide (NbC). The compressibility of NbC has been measured using angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) at room temperature and high pressure (up to 38.0 GPa), complemented with first-principles density-function theory calculations. The results imply that NbC shows bulk modulus of  = 281 (6) GPa with a pressure derivative  = 6.2 (1.5) for its strong covalent bonding. In addition, indentation testing on the well-sintered bulk NbC obtained at 5.0 GPa/1400°C yielded a Vickers hardness of 19.2 GPa and fracture toughness of 7.7 MPa m1/2 at applied load of 10 kgf, demonstrating that binderless NbC prepared under high pressure should be a prospective hard material.

Enhanced hardness of CVD diamond after high pressure and high-temperature treatments

The diamond thick layers prepared using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods have been treated at high pressures and high temperatures (HP-HT). It was found that the Vickers hardness of the HP-HT treated bulks was nearly two times as high as that of the starting CVD diamond samples. The hardness of the samples treated at 8 GPa and 1800°C is ∼80 GPa at a loading force of 49 N, close to that of the single-crystal diamond (∼100 GPa). In addition, the oxidation resistance of CVD diamond samples was also enhanced greatly after HP-HT treatments, and the diamondization of sp2 bonded carbon in the CVD diamond samples could occur at 7–8 GPa and 1600–1800°C. The HP-HT conditions of diamondization in our works are much lower than the case of the graphite-to-diamond direct transformation without the presence of catalyst (>15 GPa and 2000°C).

Experimental study on the pressure-generation efficiency and pressure-seal mechanism for large volume cubic press

Measuring the pressure of a gasket (Pg) and cell (Pc) in situ is the key point to understanding the mechanism of pressure-generation and pressure-seal for the widely used large volume cubic press. However, it is a challenge to measure Pg due to the large deformation in the gasket zone and the complex rheological behavior of the pressure transmitting medium. Herein, a method of in situ electric resistance measurement has been developed to measure Pg. The open circuit failure in electric resistance measurement was avoided by using powder electrodes which could match the mould-pressed pyrophyllite cube in rheological behavior during compression. The relationships between press-load vs. Pc and press-load vs. Pg were obtained through in situ electric resistance measurements of bismuth, thallium, barium, and manganin. It was found that Pg exceeded Pc at around 5 GPa and Pc generated in the large volume cubic press was limited to the rapid rise of Pg above 5 GPa. Furthermore, the maximum ΔP (ΔP = Pc - Pg) above 0.9 GPa has been observed when Pc was released to a pressure range of 3-4 GPa, and this also leads to a large probability of high pressure cavity seal failure.

Superstrong micro-grained polycrystalline diamond compact through work hardening under high pressure

We report an approach to strengthen micro-grained polycrystalline diamond (MPD) compact through work hardening under high pressure and high temperature, in which both hardness and fracture toughness are simultaneously boosted. Micro-sized diamond powders are treated without any additives under a high pressure of 14 GPa and temperatures ranging from 1000 °C to 2000 °C. It was found that the high pressure and high temperature environments could constrain the brittle feature and cause a severe plastic deformation of starting diamond grains to form a mutual bonded diamond network. The relative density is increased with temperature to nearly fully dense at 1600 °C. The Vickers hardness of the well-prepared MPD bulks at 14 GPa and 1900 °C reaches the top limit of the single crystal diamond of 120 GPa, and the near-metallic fracture toughness of the sample is as high as 18.7 MPa m1/2.

Preparation of superhard cubic boron nitride sintered from commercially available submicron powders

Using submicron cubic boron nitride (cBN) powder as a starting material, polycrystalline cBN (PcBN) samples without additives were sintered from 8.0–14.0 GPa at 1750 °C, and their sintering behaviour and mechanical properties were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that high-density nanotwins could be generated from common submicron cBN grains during high pressure and high temperature treatment. The dislocation glide and (111) mechanical micro-twinning are the main mechanisms that underlie plastic deformation in the sintering process, and this contributes to the grain refinement. A refinement in the grain size (∼120 nm), micro-defect (nanotwin and stacking faults), and strong covalent bonding between the grains are crucial for improving the sample mechanical properties. The PcBN sintered at 11.0 GPa/1750 °C possessed outstanding mechanical properties, including a high Vickers hardness (∼72 GPa), fracture toughness (∼12.4 MPam1/2), and thermal stability (∼1273 °C in air).