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Carbon tetrachloride under extreme conditions.
Michael Pravica1, Daniel Sneed1, Yonggang Wang1
1High Pressure Science and Engineering Center (HiPSEC) and Department of Physics, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4002, USA.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|May 24, 2014
Summary
High-pressure experiments reveal new carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) phases VI and VII. Irradiated CCl4 decomposes into carbon allotropes and chlorine gas under hard X-rays.
Area of Science:
- High-pressure physics and chemistry
- Materials science under extreme conditions
Background:
- Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a widely used solvent and chemical intermediate.
- Understanding its behavior under extreme pressure is crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phase behavior of CCl4 under high pressure.
- To explore the effects of hard X-ray irradiation on CCl4.
Main Methods:
- Raman spectroscopy up to 28 GPa.
- Synchrotron X-ray diffraction up to 30 GPa.
- Synchrotron infrared spectroscopy on irradiated CCl4.
Main Results:
- Identification of new CCl4 phases VI (above 14 GPa) and VII (above 22 GPa).
- Confirmation of phase V and potential new phases VI and VII via X-ray diffraction.
- Observation of carbon allotrope formation from irradiated CCl4, suggesting decomposition into C + 2Cl2.
Conclusions:
- CCl4 exhibits complex phase transitions under high pressure without decomposition upon decompression.
- Hard X-ray irradiation induces decomposition of CCl4, forming carbon allotropes.