Nano-Structure And Results Of Phase Transitions In The Liquid Phase Of Common Materials: Metallic And Non-Metallic Elements And Related Materials

Abstract

Introduction In the following, experimental data are presented from various laboratories treating the liquid state of common elements [1–7]. The goal of this paper is not only to demonstrate that the scientific world’s picture of the structure of the liquid state is grossly oversimplified, but to suggest certain common features of the structural variability. From the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, Vezzoli et al. employed volumetric, optical, Xray, and electrical techniques to study the discontinuous changes in the liquid state of low-melting elemental materials including sulfur, selenium, tellurium, lead, tin, bismuth and mercury. As a function of high pressure in the 1—100 kbar range, the studies included the use of Bridgman (opposed) anvil, gas cylinder, diamond cell, pistoncylinder, and hexahedral pressure transmitting systems (both quasi-hydrostatic and purehydrostatic), with various compatible external and internal heating methods. More recently, sophisticated in situ X-ray diffraction techniques have been successfully applied to the liquid phase. These involve either angular dispersion analysis, whereby a monochromatic radiation source is utilized, or energy dispersion analysis, which involves a polychromatic source. The data from both of these methods yield a characteristic scattering pattern of peaks and satellites corresponding to a preferred probabilistic shortrange liquid nanostructure [8, 9, 10]. In situ neutron diffraction studies have yielded confirming results. The data given herein provide the details of research findings on the structure of the liquid state of the elements which have been studied. For simplification, the elemental liquids that are treated herein are divided into metals and non-metals and described ad seriatim. All starting materials were 99.9999 to 99.99999% pure. Details of apparatus and measuring techniques are given in the references [1, 2].