Polymorphic phase transition mechanism of compressed coesite

Nature Communications
Q Y HuH K Mao

Abstract

Silicon dioxide is one of the most abundant natural compounds. Polymorphs of SiO₂ and their phase transitions have long been a focus of great interest and intense theoretical and experimental pursuits. Here, compressing single-crystal coesite SiO₂ under hydrostatic pressures of 26-53 GPa at room temperature, we discover a new polymorphic phase transition mechanism of coesite to post-stishovite, by means of single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiment and first-principles computational modelling. The transition features the formation of multiple previously unknown triclinic phases of SiO₂ on the transition pathway as structural intermediates. Coexistence of the low-symmetry phases results in extensive splitting of the original coesite X-ray diffraction peaks that appear as dramatic peak broadening and weakening, resembling an amorphous material. This work sheds light on the long-debated pressure-induced amorphization phenomenon of SiO₂, but also provides new insights into the densification mechanism of tetrahedrally bonded structures common in nature.

References

Jun 21, 1996·Science·R M HazenL W Finger
Oct 23, 1998·Science·D AndraultM Hanfland
Sep 15, 1988·Physical Review A: General Physics·A D Becke
Jul 15, 1996·Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter·S GoedeckerJ Hutter
Oct 3, 2001·Physical Review Letters·J HainesM Hanfland
Sep 25, 2002·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Alessandro Laio, Michele Parrinello
Oct 15, 2005·Science·Lars Stixrude, Bijaya Karki
Jul 18, 2006·Nature Materials·Roman MartonákMichele Parrinello
Jul 21, 2006·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B·Bernd EnsingMichael L Klein
Oct 19, 2006·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Nisanth N NairDominik Marx
Nov 7, 2006·Nature Materials·Liping HuangJohn Kieffer
Dec 2, 2006·Nature Materials·Takehiko Yagi
Jul 31, 1953·Science·L Coes
Feb 8, 2008·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Eduard SchreinerDominik Marx
Dec 31, 2008·Physical Review Letters·Tomoko Sato, Nobumasa Funamori
Jan 18, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Barbara L Parsons
Jun 16, 2011·Nature Communications·Tomoko SatoTakehiko Yagi
Sep 30, 2009·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Paolo GiannozziRenata M Wentzcovitch
Apr 25, 2013·Nature Communications·Masaaki MiyaharaNaohisa Hirao

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 19, 2016·Scientific Reports·Jinling LiuLinan An
Nov 26, 2016·Scientific Reports·Dušan PlašienkaErio Tosatti
Aug 8, 2017·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Yotam AsscherGilberto Artioli
Sep 4, 2019·Scientific Reports·Liudmila A GorelovaAnatoly V Kasatkin
Feb 8, 2018·Nature Communications·Long ZhangSimon Pauly
May 7, 2020·Pharmaceutics·Anna Helena MazurekDariusz Maciej Pisklak
Nov 23, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Wei LiuSandro Scandolo
Nov 23, 2016·Reports on Progress in Physics·Guoyin Shen, Ho Kwang Mao
Jul 25, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Gang LiuTao Xu
Dec 14, 2018·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Huynh Anh HuyGiang Hoang Nguyen
Jul 31, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Jejal Reddy BathiVenkataramana Gadhamshetty
Nov 14, 2019·The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·Mauro CoduriLorenzo Malavasi
Nov 5, 2021·Nature·A HasmyB Hehlen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.