Chapter 9 High pressure studies: Metals, alloys and compounds

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with the effect of pressure on structure, fusion behavior, resistivity, P–T diagrams of rare earth elements, compressibility and shockwave studies, magnetic transitions under pressure and synthesis of new phases involving rare earths at high pressure and temperature. The resistivity and compressibility measurements of rare earth metals have been extended to ultra-high pressure regions (several hundred kbar static pressure) and P–V relationships to the megabar range, using shock wave techniques. The introduction of many new techniques of study at high pressure, and the extension of the pressure range to ultra-high pressure regions have unraveled several unusual and new phenomena in rare earth systems. Very interesting pressure-induced structural transformation sequence, pressure-induced electronic transitions (valence state changes), and unusual melting behavior have come to light.