Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction
Published on: May 20, 2018
Structural phase transitions on AgCuS stromeyerite mineral under compression
D Santamaria-Perez1, A Morales-Garcia, D Martinez-Garcia
1Departamento de Química-Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. dsantamaria@quim.ucm.es
Abstract:
The structural behavior of mineral Stromeyerite, AgCuS, has been studied by means of angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements up to 13 GPa and ab initio total-energy calculations. Two high-pressure phase transitions are found at 1.4 and 5.7 GPa, from the initial distorted Ni(2)In-type phase (AuRbS-type, RP, space group Cmc2(1)) through an anti-PbClF-type phase (HP1, space group P4/nmm) to a monoclinic distortion of this latter phase (HP2, space group P2(1)/m). The collapse of the metal-metal interatomic distances at the RP-HP1 transition suggests a stronger metallic behavior of the high-pressure phase. The compressibility of the lattice parameters and the equation of state of the first pressure-induced phase have been experimentally determined. First-principles calculations present an overall agreement with the experimental results in terms of the high-pressure sequence and provide chemical insight into the AgCuS behavior under hydrostatic pressure.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Diagram
Phase Diagram
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Transition Zone
Phase Transitions

