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Publications in Scientific Journals:

R.G. Haire, S. Heathman, M. Idiri, T. Le Bihan, A. Lindbaum, J. Rebizant:
"Pressure-induced changes in protactinium metal: Importance to actinide-metal bonding concepts";
Physical Review B, 67 (2003), 134101-1 - 134101-10.



English abstract:
Pressure-induced changes in protactinium metal: Importance to actinide-metal bonding concepts

R. G. Haire,1 S. Heathman,2 M. Idiri,2 T. Le Bihan,3 A. Lindbaum,4 and J. Rebizant2 1Oak Ridge National Laboratory, CSD, PO Box 2008, MS-6375, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
2European Commission, JRC, Institute for Transuranium Elements, Postfach 2340 D-76125, Karlsruhe, Germany
3European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, B.P. 220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex, France
4Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Solid State Physics, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/138, Wien, Austria

(Received 21 November 2002; revised 30 January 2003; published 1 April 2003)

Protactinium occupies an important position in the actinide series of elements, as it represents the first of four elements (Pa-Pu) having 5f-electron character in their bonding at atmospheric pressure. We have determined in experimental studies with synchrotron radiation to 130 GPa, that the tetragonal structure of protactinium (space group I4/mmm) converts to an orthorhombic, alpha-uranium structure (space group Cmcm) at 77(5) GPa, where the atomic volume has been reduced by ~30%. This structural change is interpreted as reflecting an increase in 5f-electron contribution to the bonding in protactinium over that initially present, becoming more similar to that present in alpha-uranium metal at atmospheric pressure. We determined experimentally that this structural transformation occurred at significantly higher pressures and at a smaller atomic volume than predicted by theory. The experimental results reported here represent the highest pressures under which protactinium metal has been studied. ©2003 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRB/v67/e134


Online library catalogue of the TU Vienna:
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Electronic version of the publication:
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Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.