An X-ray Diffraction Study on ZrH2 under High Pressures
Polycrystalline ZrH2 in tetragonal crystal system has been compressed in a modified Bassett-type diamond anvil cell up to 36.0 GPa at room temperature. X-ray diffraction data did not indicate any phase transitions at the present pressure range. The pressure dependence of the a-axis, c-axis, c/a and molar volume of ZrH2 was determined at pressures up to 36.0 GPa. Assuming the pressure derivative of the bulk modulus (K0') to be 4.11 from an ultrasonic value on Zr, bulk modulus (K0) was determined to be 160Gpa by fitting the pressure-volume data to the Birch-Murnaghan equation of state. Same sample was heated at 500℃ at the pressure of 9.8 GPa in a modified Sung-type diamond anvil cell. Unloaded and quenched sample revealed that the original tetragonal structure transforms into a hexagonal structured phase with a zero-pressure molar volume change of ~115.5%.