Suchergebnisse

Modelling of processes involving deep Earth liquids requires information on their structures and compression mechanisms. However, knowledge of the local structures of silicates and silica (SiO2) melts at deep mantle conditions and of their densification mechanisms is still limited. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of metastable high-pressure silica phases, coesite-IV and coesite-V, using in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction and ab initio simulations. Their crystal structures are drastically different from any previously considered models, but explain well features of pair-distribution functions of highly densified silica glass and molten basalt at high pressure. Built of four, five-, and six-coordinated silicon, coesite-IV and coesite-V contain SiO6 octahedra, which, at odds with 3rd Paulings rule, are connected through common faces. Our results suggest that possible silicate liquids in Earths lower mantle may have complex structures making them more compressible than previously supposed. ; Funding Agencies|German Research Foundation [Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)]; Federal Ministry of Education and Research [ Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Germany] [DU 954-11/1, DU 393-9/2, DU 393-10/1, 5K16WC1]; National Science Foundation-Earth Sciences [EAR-1634415]; Department of Energy-GeoSciences [DE-FG02-94ER14466]; DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory [DE-AC02-06CH11357]; Elite Network of Bavaria through the program Oxides; Swedish Research Council [2015-04391, 2014-4750, 637-2013-7296]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [200900971]; Swedish e-Science Research Centre (SeRC); Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [14.Y26.31.0005]; Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in the framework of Increase Competitiveness Program of NUST "MISIS" [K2-2017-080]

Scientific tasks aimed at decoding and characterizing complex systems and processes at high pressures set new challenges for modern X-ray diffraction instrumentation in terms of X-ray flux, focal spot size and sample positioning. Presented here are new developments at the Extreme Conditions beamline (P02.2, PETRA III, DESY, Germany) that enable considerable improvements in data collection at very high pressures and small scattering volumes. In particular, the focusing of the X-ray beam to the sub-micrometer level is described, and control of the aberrations of the focusing compound refractive lenses is made possible with the implementation of a correcting phase plate. This device provides a significant enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio by conditioning the beam shape profile at the focal spot. A new sample alignment system with a small sphere of confusion enables single-crystal data collection from grains of micrometer to sub-micrometer dimensions subjected to pressures as high as 200 GPa. The combination of the technical development of the optical path and the sample alignment system contributes to research and gives benefits on various levels, including rapid and accurate diffraction mapping of samples with sub-micrometer resolution at multimegabar pressures. ; Funding Agencies: Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF) [05K19WC1]; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) [DU 954-11/1, DU 393-9/2, DU 393-13/1]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linköping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009 00971]; Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Poly-nitrogen compounds have been considered as potential high energy density materials for a long time due to the large number of energetic N-N or N=N bonds. In most cases high nitrogen content and stability at ambient conditions are mutually exclusive, thereby making the synthesis of such materials challenging. One way to stabilize such compounds is the application of high pressure. Here, through a direct reaction between Fe and N-2 in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell, we synthesize three ironnitrogen compounds Fe3N2, FeN2 and FeN4. Their crystal structures are revealed by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Fe3N2, synthesized at 50 GPa, is isostructural to chromium carbide Cr3C2. FeN2 has a marcasite structure type and features covalently bonded dinitrogen units in its crystal structure. FeN4, synthesized at 106 GPa, features polymeric nitrogen chains of [N-4(2-)](n) units. Based on results of structural studies and theoretical analysis, [N-4(2-)](n) units in this compound reveal catena-poly[tetraz-1-ene-1,4-diyl] anions. ; Funding Agencies|National Science Foundation-Earth Sciences [EAR-1634415]; Department of Energy-GeoSciences [DE-FG02-94ER14466]; DOE Office of Science [DE-AC02-06CH11357]; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) [DU 954-11/1, DU 393-10/1]; Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF) [5K16WC1]; Swedish Research Council [2015-04391]; VINN Excellence Center Functional Nanoscale Materials (FunMat-2) [2016-05156]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009-00971]; Swedish e-Science Research Centre (SeRC); Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation [14.Y26.31.0005, K2-2017-080]; RFBR [16-02-00797]

Extreme pressures and temperatures are known to drastically affect the chemistry of iron oxides, resulting in numerous compounds forming homologous series nFeOmFe2O3 and the appearance of FeO2. Here, based on the results of in situ single-crystal x-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and density-functional theory+dynamical mean-field theory calculations, we demonstrate that iron in high-pressure cubic FeO2 and isostructural FeO2H0.5 is ferric (Fe3+), and oxygen has a formal valence less than 2. Reduction of oxygen valence from 2, common for oxides, down to 1.5 can be explained by a formation of a localized hole at oxygen sites. © 2021 American Physical Society. ; We acknowledge the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY, PETRA III), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), and the Advance Photon Source (APS) for provision of beamtime. N. D. and L. D. thank the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF, Grant No. 05K19WC1) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG Projects No. DU 954–11/1, No. DU 393–9/2, and No. DU 393–13/1) for financial support. N. D. and I. A. A. thank the Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linköping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU No. 2009 00971). Electronic structure calculations were supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 18-12-00492). Theoretical analysis of chemical bonding was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in the framework of Increase Competitiveness Program of NUST "MISIS" (No. K2-2019-001) implemented by a governmental decree, No. 211. Support from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Wallenberg Scholar Grant No. KAW-2018.0194), the Swedish Government Strategic Research Areas and SeRC, and the Swedish Research Council (VR) Grant No. 2019-05600 is gratefully acknowledged.