ANALYTICAL DEPARTMENT

1. The main goal of the Analytical department is determination, in the framework of theresearch being carried out at the Institute, of a phase content, structure, and chemicalcomposition of substances which are used in the investigations (at ambient and at highpressure ), and of the products of high pressure synthesis, generally of compactscontaining diamond, boron nitride, amorphous semiconductors, rare-earth compounds, HTSC,compounds with giant magneto resistance etc.

METHODS AND EQUIPMENT:

(1) Optical microscopy (ENAVERT, NEOPHOT). (2) Electron microscopy (STEREOSCAN S150MK2, JEM-100C). (3) X-ray diffraction and structure analysis. (4) Elemental analysis(URS-60, IRIS, DRON 2-4, URD-63). (5) Nuclear-physical methods (Mossbauer CM-2201, neutronscattering). (6) Physical-chemical methods of analysis and synthesis (a high-temperatureheater for synthesis). (7) Data acquisition and software.

INVESTIGATIONS

1) Electron microscopy. (a) Study of the influence of P-T conditions, initialstructure of materials, and composition of reactants on structure, properties of superhardmaterials ( carbonado, ballas, diamond and BN composites), and on the perfection ofmonocrystalline diamond powders. (b) Study of the mechanism of deformation-inducedamorphization, investigation of material structures after P - T treatment of solid C60,study of high pressure phases in GeO2.

2) X-ray. Structural investigations of materials (rare-earth compounds, spinelsand perovskites, HTSC compounds, Fe-Cu pseudo alloys ).

3) Neutron scattering. Development of high pressure equipment for neutronscattering investigations of magnets.

4) Mossbauer effect. High pressureinvestigations of magnetic structure and electronic properties of magnetic materials(rare-earth orthoferrites, Heusler alloys, magnetic spinels and perovskites, Fe-Cu pseudoalloys)

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Fig.1.
Diamonds synthesised from naphthalene.

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Fig. 2.
Amorphization of ZrCoNi - alloy by extrusion. Amorphous channels (A) indeformed crystalline matrix.

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Fig. 3. High pressure apparatus HPA in cryostat under press. Destination:1-press piston; 2-pusher; 3-cryostat;4-tube for gas helium supply; 5-directing nut; 6-HPApiston of WC6; 7-alloy steel support of the cell(8) (HRc=50; 8-HPA cell of TiZr alloy;9,10-alloy steel washer and nut (HRc=50); 11-lower press slab; 12-thermo-insulatingcolumn; 13-WC6 piston; 14-compression of piston-fungus type; 15-nut for capillarycompression; 16-copper diaphragm; 17-capillary for gas or liquid supply into HPA cell.[Sadykov R.A., Gruzin P.L., Suhoparov V.A., High Pressure Research, v.14,pp.199-202(1995)]