Melting and decomposition of orthorhombic B6Si under high pressure

Abstract

ABSTRACT Melting of orthorhombic boron silicide B6Si has been studied at pressures up to 8 GPa using in situ electrical resistivity measurements and quenching. It has been found that in the 2.6–7.7 GPa range B6Si melts congruently, and the melting curve exhibits negative slope of −31(2) K/GPa that points to a higher density of the melt as compared to the solid phase. At very high temperatures B6Si melt appears to be unstable and undergoes disproportionation into silicon and boron-rich silicides B n Si (n ≥ 12). The onset temperature of disproportionation strongly depends on pressure, and the corresponding low-temperature boundary exhibits negative slope of −92(3) K/GPa which is indicative of significant volume decrease in the course of B6Si melt decomposition.