J Phys Condens Matter. 2016 Nov 30;28(47):475403. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/28/47/475403. Epub 2016 Sep 16.

Arsenolite: a quasi-hydrostatic solid pressure-transmitting medium.

Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal

J A Sans, F J Manjón, C Popescu, A Muñoz, P Rodríguez-Hernández, J L Jordá, F Rey

PMID: 27636010 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/28/47/475403

Abstract

This study reports the experimental characterization of the hydrostatic properties of arsenolite (As4O6), a molecular solid which is one of the softest minerals in the absence of hydrogen bonding. The high compressibility of arsenolite and its stability up to 15 GPa have been proved by x-ray diffraction measurements, and the progressive loss of hydrostaticity with increasing pressure up to 20 GPa has been monitored by ruby photoluminescence. Arsenolite has been found to exhibit hydrostatic behavior up to 2.5 GPa and a quasi-hydrostatic behavior up to 10 GPa at room temperature. This result opens the way to explore other molecular solids as possible quasi-hydrostatic pressure-transmitting media. The validity of arsenolite as an insulating, stable, non-penetrating and quasi-hydrostatic medium is explored by the study of the x-ray diffraction of zeolite ITQ-29 at high pressure.

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't