Isostructural second-order phase transition of b-Bi2O3 at high pressures: an experimental and theoretical study

We report a joint experimental and theoretical study of the structural and vibrational properties of synthetic sphaerobismoite (beta-Bi2O3) at high pressures in which room-temperature angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering measurements have been complemented with ab initio tot...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pereira, Andre L. J., Sans Tresserras, Juan Ángel, Gomis, O., Rodriguez-Hernandez, Placida, Muñoz, Alfonso, Popescu, Catalin, Beltran, Armando, Vilaplana Cerda, Rosario Isabel|||0000-0003-0504-2157, Manjón, Francisco-Javier|||0000-0002-3926-1705
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2014
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
Repositorio:RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:riunet.upv.es:10251/58367
Acceso en línea:https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/58367
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Sphaerobismoite
High-pressure
X-ray diffraction
Raman
Ab initio calculations
Phase transitions
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Descripción
Sumario:We report a joint experimental and theoretical study of the structural and vibrational properties of synthetic sphaerobismoite (beta-Bi2O3) at high pressures in which room-temperature angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering measurements have been complemented with ab initio total energy and lattice dynamics calculations. Striking changes in Raman spectra were observed around 2 GPa, whereas X-ray diffraction measurements evidence no change in the tetragonal symmetry of the compound up to 20 GPa; however, a significant change exists in the compressibility when increasing pressure above 2 GPa. These features have been understood by means of theoretical calculations, which show that beta-Bi2O3 undergoes a pressure-induced isostructural phase transition near 2 GPa. In the new isostructural beta' phase, the Bi3+ and O2- environments become more regular than those in the original beta phase because of the strong decrease in the activity of the lone electron pair of Bi above 2 GPa. Raman measurements and theoretical calculations provide evidence of the second-order nature of the pressure-induced isostructural transition. Above 20 GPa, XRD measurements suggest a partial amorphization of the sample despite Raman measurements still show weak peaks, probably related to a new unknown phase which remains up to 27 GPa. On pressure release, XRD patterns and Raman spectra below 2 GPa correspond to elemental Bi-I, thus evidencing a pressure-induced decomposition of the sample during downstroke.