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Probing of bonding changes in B2O3 glasses at high pressure with inelastic X-ray scattering

Nature Materials volume 4, pages 851–854 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Full understanding of atomic arrangement in amorphous oxides both at ambient and high pressure is an ongoing fundamental puzzle. Whereas the structures of archetypal oxide glasses such as v-B2O3 at high pressure are essential to elucidate origins of anomalous macroscopic properties of more complex melts, knowledge of the high-pressure structure and pressure-induced coordination changes of these glasses has remained elusive due to lack of suitable in situ experimental probes. Here, we report synchrotron inelastic X-ray scattering results for v-B2O3 at pressures up to 22.5 GPa, revealing the nature of pressure-induced bonding changes and the structure. Direct in situ measurements show a continuous transformation from tri-coordinated to tetra-coordinated boron beginning at 4–7 GPa with most of the boron tetra-coordinated above 20 GPa, forming dense tetrahedral v-B2O3. After decompression from high pressure the bonding reverts back to tri-coordinated boron but with the data suggesting a permanent densification.

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Figure 5: A schematic diagram for the pressure-induced changes in bonding nature in B2O3 glasses (for example, transformation to [4]B from [3]B in the boroxol ring).
Figure 1: Boron K-edge IXS spectra.
Figure 2: Boron K-edge IXS spectra.
Figure 3: The pressure dependence of the [3]B percentage and the position of the [3]B π* peak.
Figure 4: Oxygen K-edge IXS spectra.

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Acknowledgements

We thank W. Mao, R. Hemley, T. Trainor, G. Shen, J. -F. Lin, C. -C. Kao, G. Cody, W.Sturhahn and B. Mysen for their helpful discussion, and J. Ciston and S. Ghose for help during the measurements. Use of the Advanced Photon Source was supported by DOE Basic Energy Sciences (BES). GSECARS was supported by DOE-BES-Geosciences, NSF—Earth Sciences and the State of Illinois. HPCAT was supported by DOE-BES-Materials Science, DOE-NNSA, CDAC, NSF, DOD–TACOM, and the W. M. Keck Foundation. S.K.L. was supported by funds from BK21 in Korea and a Young Scientist award from Korea Research Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea

    Sung Keun Lee

  2. Consortium for Advanced Radiation Sources, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, USA

    Peter J. Eng & Matthew Newville

  3. James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, USA

    Peter J. Eng

  4. Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC, 20015, USA

    Ho-kwang Mao, Yue Meng & Jinfu Shu

  5. HPCAT, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, 60439, USA

    Ho-kwang Mao, Yue Meng & Michael Y. Hu

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Lee, S., Eng, P., Mao, Hk. et al. Probing of bonding changes in B2O3 glasses at high pressure with inelastic X-ray scattering. Nature Mater 4, 851–854 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1511

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