Abstract
In situ Raman spectroscopy was used to explore the mechanical stability and electronic properties of superhard boron suboxide (B6O) under nonhydrostatic pressure. B6O stabilizes in a rhombohedral structure (R3¯m) to the peak pressure of 90GPa. The icosahedra-chain (B–O) phonon at 274cm−1 exhibits a negative pressure dependent profile of −0.21cm−1∕GPa, while the intraicosahedral vibrations (B–B) between 400 and 1100cm−1 and the intericosahedral phonon at 1141cm−1 display 0.7–2.3 and 3.8cm−1∕GPa, respectively. The small pressure dependencies of intraicosahedral modes resulting from the crystal lattice are significant indications of the low compressibility of B6O. Upon decompression to 3.3GPa, crystalline B6O transforms to the amorphous boron oxide and glassy boron. The structure instability of superhard B6O upon release of pressure implies its critical weakness for applications in harsh environments of dynamic impacts and high stress concentrations.
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