Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible Superhard Rhenium Diboride at Ambient Pressure
Abstract
The quest to create superhard materials rarely strays from the use of high-pressure synthetic methods, which typically require gigapascals of applied pressure. We report that rhenium diboride (ReB{sub 2}), synthesized in bulk quantities via arc-melting under ambient pressure, rivals materials produced with high-pressure methods. Microindentation measurements on ReB{sub 2} indicated an average hardness of 48 gigapascals under an applied load of 0.49 newton, and scratch marks left on a diamond surface confirmed its superhard nature. Its incompressibility along the c axis was equal in magnitude to the linear incompressibility of diamond. In situ high-pressure x-ray diffraction measurements yielded a bulk modulus of 360 gigapascals, and radial diffraction indicated that ReB{sub 2} is able to support a remarkably high differential stress. This combination of properties suggests that this material may find applications in cutting when the formation of carbides prevents the use of traditional materials such as diamond.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
- Sponsoring Org.:
- Doe - Office Of Science
- OSTI Identifier:
- 930663
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-81156-2008-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 0193-4511; SCEHDK; TRN: US200901%%21
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-98CH10886
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Resource Relation:
- Journal Name: Science; Journal Volume: 316
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; RHENIUM BORIDES; HARDNESS; SYNTHESIS; COMPRESSIBILITY; ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; CUTTING TOOLS; national synchrotron light source
Citation Formats
Chung,H., Weinberger, M., Levine, J., Kavner, A., Yang, J., Tolbert, S., and Kaner, R.. Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible Superhard Rhenium Diboride at Ambient Pressure. United States: N. p., 2007.
Web. doi:10.1126/science.1139322.
Chung,H., Weinberger, M., Levine, J., Kavner, A., Yang, J., Tolbert, S., & Kaner, R.. Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible Superhard Rhenium Diboride at Ambient Pressure. United States. doi:10.1126/science.1139322.
Chung,H., Weinberger, M., Levine, J., Kavner, A., Yang, J., Tolbert, S., and Kaner, R.. Mon .
"Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible Superhard Rhenium Diboride at Ambient Pressure". United States.
doi:10.1126/science.1139322.
@article{osti_930663,
title = {Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible Superhard Rhenium Diboride at Ambient Pressure},
author = {Chung,H. and Weinberger, M. and Levine, J. and Kavner, A. and Yang, J. and Tolbert, S. and Kaner, R.},
abstractNote = {The quest to create superhard materials rarely strays from the use of high-pressure synthetic methods, which typically require gigapascals of applied pressure. We report that rhenium diboride (ReB{sub 2}), synthesized in bulk quantities via arc-melting under ambient pressure, rivals materials produced with high-pressure methods. Microindentation measurements on ReB{sub 2} indicated an average hardness of 48 gigapascals under an applied load of 0.49 newton, and scratch marks left on a diamond surface confirmed its superhard nature. Its incompressibility along the c axis was equal in magnitude to the linear incompressibility of diamond. In situ high-pressure x-ray diffraction measurements yielded a bulk modulus of 360 gigapascals, and radial diffraction indicated that ReB{sub 2} is able to support a remarkably high differential stress. This combination of properties suggests that this material may find applications in cutting when the formation of carbides prevents the use of traditional materials such as diamond.},
doi = {10.1126/science.1139322},
journal = {Science},
number = ,
volume = 316,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2007},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2007}
}
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