Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Physical Review B
Structure of niobium to 365 GPa using ultrafast x-ray diffraction and shock compression
Abstract
The phase stability, crystal structure, and melting of Nb have been examined under high pressure shock compression to 365 GPa using ultrafast x-ray diffraction measurements on two x-ray free electron laser facilities. On compression, Nb remains stable in the bcc phase up to 220 GPa, with coexistence of bcc-Nb and liquid from 249 to 298 GPa, and complete melting at 301 GPa, with melt identified by diffuse liquid diffraction. Melting initiates at higher pressure than expected based on theoretical predictions, and the data consistently excludes the presence of other suggested phases of Nb at these pressures, including and hcp, thereby resolving the long-standing structural discrepancy. Singh-type strength analysis provides experimental evidence for a change in sign of the elastic anisotropy parameter at 121 GPa, consistent with the previously reported heat-induced hardening to heat-induced softening transition in Nb.
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BibTeX
@article{lonsdale2026structure,
title = {{Structure of niobium to 365 GPa using ultrafast x-ray diffraction and shock compression}},
author = {C M Lonsdale and J D Mchardy and C V Storm and M I Mcmahon and R S Mcwilliams and N. Jaisle and M. Jones and C R Roy and R F Smith and A. Descamps and A. Higginbotham and T M Hutchinson and S. Pandolfi and A. Sollier and A. Amouretti and M. Andrzejewski and K. Appel and T. Aughey and P. Avery and E. Barraud and A B Belonoshko and E. Brambrink and N. Bruzy and K. Buakor and S D Di Dio Cafiso and C. Camarda and O. Castelnau and A. Chakraborti and J. Chantel and D M Cheshire and G W Collins and A J Comley and T E Cowan and C. Crépisson and Y. Deng and L. Dresselhaus-Marais and X. Fang and M D Fitzgerald and S. Galitskiy and E. Galtier and H. Ginestet and J M Gonzalez and F. Hanby and A. Hari and M. Harmand and N J Hartley and P G Heighway and J-A. Hernandez and H. Höppner and D. Khaghani and J. Kim and T. Kim and Z. Konôpková and D. Kraus and A. Krygier and H J Lee and S-N. Luo and M. Masruri and E E Mcbride and D. Mcgonegle},
journal = {Physical Review B},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1103/tlxw-bfx4},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05734944v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Structure of niobium to 365 GPa using ultrafast x-ray diffraction and shock compression
AU - C M Lonsdale
AU - J D Mchardy
AU - C V Storm
AU - M I Mcmahon
AU - R S Mcwilliams
AU - N. Jaisle
AU - M. Jones
AU - C R Roy
AU - R F Smith
AU - A. Descamps
AU - A. Higginbotham
AU - T M Hutchinson
AU - S. Pandolfi
AU - A. Sollier
AU - A. Amouretti
AU - M. Andrzejewski
AU - K. Appel
AU - T. Aughey
AU - P. Avery
AU - E. Barraud
AU - A B Belonoshko
AU - E. Brambrink
AU - N. Bruzy
AU - K. Buakor
AU - S D Di Dio Cafiso
AU - C. Camarda
AU - O. Castelnau
AU - A. Chakraborti
AU - J. Chantel
AU - D M Cheshire
AU - G W Collins
AU - A J Comley
AU - T E Cowan
AU - C. Crépisson
AU - Y. Deng
AU - L. Dresselhaus-Marais
AU - X. Fang
AU - M D Fitzgerald
AU - S. Galitskiy
AU - E. Galtier
AU - H. Ginestet
AU - J M Gonzalez
AU - F. Hanby
AU - A. Hari
AU - M. Harmand
AU - N J Hartley
AU - P G Heighway
AU - J-A. Hernandez
AU - H. Höppner
AU - D. Khaghani
AU - J. Kim
AU - T. Kim
AU - Z. Konôpková
AU - D. Kraus
AU - A. Krygier
AU - H J Lee
AU - S-N. Luo
AU - M. Masruri
AU - E E Mcbride
AU - D. Mcgonegle
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Physical Review B
DO - 10.1103/tlxw-bfx4
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05734944v1
AB - The phase stability, crystal structure, and melting of Nb have been examined under high pressure shock compression to 365 GPa using ultrafast x-ray diffraction measurements on two x-ray free electron laser facilities. On compression, Nb remains stable in the bcc phase up to 220 GPa, with coexistence of bcc-Nb and liquid from 249 to 298 GPa, and complete melting at 301 GPa, with melt identified by diffuse liquid diffraction. Melting initiates at higher pressure than expected based on theoretical predictions, and the data consistently excludes the presence of other suggested phases of Nb at these pressures, including and hcp, thereby resolving the long-standing structural discrepancy. Singh-type strength analysis provides experimental evidence for a change in sign of the elastic anisotropy parameter at 121 GPa, consistent with the previously reported heat-induced hardening to heat-induced softening transition in Nb.
SN - 2469-9950
SN - 2469-9969
ER -