Structural study of alpha-Bi2O3 under pressure

An experimental and theoretical study of the structural properties of monoclinic bismuth oxide (alpha-(BiO3)-O-2) under high pressures is here reported. Both synthetic and mineral bismite powder samples have been compressed up to 45 GPa and their equations of state have been determined with angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction measurements. Experimental results have been also compared with theoretical calculations which suggest the possibility of several phase transitions below 10 GPa. However, experiments reveal only a pressure-induced amorphization between 15 and 25 GPa, depending on sample quality and deviatoric stresses. The amorphous phase has been followed up to 45 GPa and its nature discussed.Financial support from the Spanish Consolider Ingenio 2010 Program (MALTA Project No. CSD2007-00045) is acknowledged. This work was also supported by Brazilian Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) under project 201050/2012-9, Spanish MICINN under projects MAT2010-21270-C04-01/03/04, Spanish MINECO under project CTQ2012-36253-C03-02, by Generalitat Valenciana through project GVA-ACOMP2013- 012 and from Vicerrectorado de Investigaci on dePereira, ALJ.; Errandonea, D.; Beltrán, A.; Gracia, L.; Gomis Hilario, O.; Sans, JA.; García-Domene, B.... (2013). Structural study of alpha-Bi2O3 under pressure. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. 25(47):475402-1-475402-12. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/25/47/475402S475402-1475402-12254