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Updated: May 31, 2026

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2
Published on: January 16, 2017
High-pressure and high-temperature x-ray diffraction cell for combined pressure, composition, and temperature
Ph Mauron1, M Bielmann, A Remhof
1Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Division Hydrogen and Energy, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Abstract:
We present the design and construction of a high-pressure (200 bars) and high-temperature (600 °C) x-ray diffraction (XRD) cell for the in situ investigation of the hydrogen sorption of hydrides. In combination with a pressure, composition, and temperature system, simultaneous XRD and volumetric measurements become accessible. The cell consists of an x-ray semi-transparent hemispherical beryllium (Be) dome covering a heatable sample stage, which simultaneously allows sample temperatures of up to 600 °C in an applied hydrogen atmosphere of up to 200 bars. The system volume is as low as possible to maximize the precision of the volumetric measurements. Due to the high thermal conductivity of hydrogen, and in order to preserve the mechanical stability of the beryllium, the cell is water cooled. Its operability was studied on the example of the hydrogen absorption of Mg(2)Ni. The advantages and limitations of the proposed design are discussed.
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