Project acronym: High Pressure
The Structure and Properties of Materials at High Pressure
Proposal/Contract no.: 505320
Transnational Access
1. Project objectives and summary
The Bayerisches Geoinstitut is a research institute dedicated to experimental studies of the physical and chemical
properties of materials at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. Although the main aim of the institute
is to understand the composition, structure and dynamics of the Earth’s interior, research directions overlap
significantly with the fields of solid-state physics and chemistry and materials science. The institute is equipped
with a wide range of high-pressure apparatus for synthesis, phase equilibria and in-situ studies as well as for
characterising the composition, structure and properties of materials, both in-situ at high pressure and
temperature and at ambient conditions. Facilities include a high-pressure laboratory, housing 4 multianvil presses
(25 GPa, 3000 K), which is unique worldwide. The diamond anvil cell facilities, which are also unique
worldwide, offer a broad range of techniques including laser and external heating (150 GPa, 4000 K), in-situ Xray diffraction (ultra-high intensity source with area detector), single-crystal X-ray diffraction, in-situ
spectroscopy (infra-red, Raman, optical absorption and Mössbauer) and in-situ ultrasonics. Other facilities
include piston-cylinder and hydrothermal high-pressure laboratories, deformation apparatus (to 15 GPa and 2000
K), scanning calorimeter, analytical high-resolution transmission electron microscope, scanning electron
microscope, electron microprobes, ultrasonic interferometers, electrical impedance analyser and apparatus for insitu measurements of heat transport properties. In addition, computer facilities are available for calculating the
structure and properties of materials at extreme conditions from first principles, an area that is complementary to
experimental studies. Users will have access to the experimental and computational facilities and will receive
full scientific and technical support and training. 324 experiment days of access will be provided per year.
2. Project website: http://www.bgi.uni-bayreuth.de/
3. Start date: 1 January 2005
Duration: 48 months
4. List of participants:
Partic.
Role*
Partic.
no.
Participant name
Participant short name
Country
CO
01
Universitaet Bayreuth
UBT
D
*CO = Coordinator