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Updated: May 29, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
Pressure-induced amorphization in mayenite (12CaO·7Al2O3)
Xinxin Zhang1, Yanchao Wang, Hui Wang
1State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, People's Republic of China.
High pressure transforms nanoporous mayenite into an amorphous state around 13 GPa. This pressure-induced amorphization is reversible and linked to cage deformations within the material.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid State Chemistry
- High-Pressure Physics
Background:
- Nanoporous mayenite (12CaO·7Al(2)O(3)) exhibits unique structural properties.
- Understanding its behavior under extreme conditions is crucial for potential applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the high-pressure structural response of nanoporous mayenite.
- To elucidate the mechanism of pressure-induced amorphization.
Main Methods:
- In situ high-pressure X-ray diffraction experiments up to ~13 GPa.
- Ab initio theoretical calculations.
Main Results:
- Identified pressure-induced amorphization of nanoporous mayenite at approximately 13 GPa.
- The amorphous phase is stable upon decompression to ambient conditions.
- Anisotropic deformation of empty cages, influenced by oxygen ion distribution, drives amorphization.
Conclusions:
- Nanoporous mayenite undergoes reversible amorphization under high pressure.
- The local structural geometry of empty cages dictates the deformation pathways leading to the amorphous state.
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