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Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material

Exploring the structural stability and elasticity of hexagonal ε-NbN helps discover correlations among its physical properties for scientific and technological applications. Here, for the first time, we measured the ultra-incompressibility and high shear rigidity of polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN u...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Zou, Yongtao, Wang, Xuebing, Chen, Ting, Li, Xuefei, Qi, Xintong, Welch, David, Zhu, Pinwen, Liu, Bingbing, Cui, Tian, Li, Baosheng
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Nature Publishing Group 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4450584/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26028439
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep10811
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author Zou, Yongtao
Wang, Xuebing
Chen, Ting
Li, Xuefei
Qi, Xintong
Welch, David
Zhu, Pinwen
Liu, Bingbing
Cui, Tian
Li, Baosheng
author_facet Zou, Yongtao
Wang, Xuebing
Chen, Ting
Li, Xuefei
Qi, Xintong
Welch, David
Zhu, Pinwen
Liu, Bingbing
Cui, Tian
Li, Baosheng
author_sort Zou, Yongtao
collection PubMed
description Exploring the structural stability and elasticity of hexagonal ε-NbN helps discover correlations among its physical properties for scientific and technological applications. Here, for the first time, we measured the ultra-incompressibility and high shear rigidity of polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN using ultrasonic interferometry and in situ X-ray diffraction, complemented with first-principles density-functional theory calculations up to 30 GPa in pressure. Using a finite strain equation of state approach, the elastic bulk and shear moduli, as well as their pressure dependences are derived from the measured velocities and densities, yielding B(S0) = 373.3(15) GPa, G(0) = 200.5(8) GPa, ∂B(S)/∂P = 3.81(3) and ∂G/∂P = 1.67(1). The hexagonal ε-NbN possesses a very high bulk modulus, rivaling that of superhard material cBN (B(0) = 381.1 GPa). The high shear rigidity is comparable to that for superhard γ-B (G(0) = 227.2 GPa). We found that the crystal structure of transition-metal nitrides and the outmost electrons of the corresponding metals may dominate their pressure dependences in bulk and shear moduli. In addition, the elastic moduli, Vickers hardness, Debye temperature, melting temperature and a possible superconductivity of hexagonal ε-NbN all increase with pressures, suggesting its exceptional suitability for applications under extreme conditions.
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spelling pubmed-44505842015-06-10 Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material Zou, Yongtao Wang, Xuebing Chen, Ting Li, Xuefei Qi, Xintong Welch, David Zhu, Pinwen Liu, Bingbing Cui, Tian Li, Baosheng Sci Rep Article Exploring the structural stability and elasticity of hexagonal ε-NbN helps discover correlations among its physical properties for scientific and technological applications. Here, for the first time, we measured the ultra-incompressibility and high shear rigidity of polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN using ultrasonic interferometry and in situ X-ray diffraction, complemented with first-principles density-functional theory calculations up to 30 GPa in pressure. Using a finite strain equation of state approach, the elastic bulk and shear moduli, as well as their pressure dependences are derived from the measured velocities and densities, yielding B(S0) = 373.3(15) GPa, G(0) = 200.5(8) GPa, ∂B(S)/∂P = 3.81(3) and ∂G/∂P = 1.67(1). The hexagonal ε-NbN possesses a very high bulk modulus, rivaling that of superhard material cBN (B(0) = 381.1 GPa). The high shear rigidity is comparable to that for superhard γ-B (G(0) = 227.2 GPa). We found that the crystal structure of transition-metal nitrides and the outmost electrons of the corresponding metals may dominate their pressure dependences in bulk and shear moduli. In addition, the elastic moduli, Vickers hardness, Debye temperature, melting temperature and a possible superconductivity of hexagonal ε-NbN all increase with pressures, suggesting its exceptional suitability for applications under extreme conditions. Nature Publishing Group 2015-06-01 /pmc/articles/PMC4450584/ /pubmed/26028439 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep10811 Text en Copyright © 2015, Macmillan Publishers Limited http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
spellingShingle Article
Zou, Yongtao
Wang, Xuebing
Chen, Ting
Li, Xuefei
Qi, Xintong
Welch, David
Zhu, Pinwen
Liu, Bingbing
Cui, Tian
Li, Baosheng
Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
title Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
title_full Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
title_fullStr Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
title_full_unstemmed Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
title_short Hexagonal-structured ε-NbN: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
title_sort hexagonal-structured ε-nbn: ultra-incompressibility, high shear rigidity, and a possible hard superconducting material
topic Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4450584/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26028439
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep10811
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