ABSTRACT The pressure limit of the conventional cubic press is normally below 6 GPa, and the suitable pressure calibrant of the fixed-point method is scarce. In this study, we developed a new method for pressure determination using an acoustic travel time approach. Based on the reported ultrasonic travel times of polycrystalline molybdenum under high pressure in literature, an acoustic gauge of polycrystalline molybdenum was derived. The shear wave travel times of molybdenum were measured at high pressures and utilized for the pressure calibration in a cubic press. The pressures derived from this new travel time method are in excellent agreement with those from the fixed-point method. Subsequent compressional and shear wave velocities of polycrystalline tungsten were measured up to about 5 GPa at room temperature to further verify this method. This travel time method for pressure calibration is valuable for the sound velocity measurement of other materials in an offline laboratory.
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