Award Date

Spring 2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Physics

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Advisor 1

Lon Spight, Committee Chair

First Committee Member

Oliver Tschauner

Second Committee Member

Michael Pravica

Graduate Faculty Representative

Adam Simon

Number of Pages

85

Abstract

Fe3P (synthetic schreibersite) is a phosphide occurring in iron alloys. Phosphorousis often considered an undesired impurity causing brittleness. Conversely, in some cases the addition of iron phosphides to certain materials is beneficial (e.g.properties of certain frictional materials are enhanced). In terrestrial rock, we do not find Fe3P, although (Fe;Ni)3P (natural schreibersite) is found in nearly all iron-containing meteorites. In this project, we examine the unit cell parameters of Fe3P as function of pressure and derive the respective axial and bulk compressibilities. Both Vinet and Birch-Murnaghan formulations were used to relate pressure and unit cell volume, and a comparison of each prediction was made. Comparing to independent data collected up to 62 GPa, no structural phase transitions were observed, and the sample remained in a strained state after relieving applied pressure.

Keywords

Crystal structure; Fe3P; High power; Impurities; Iron phosphides; Synthetic schreibersite

Disciplines

Condensed Matter Physics

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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