Post-perovskite transitions in CaB4+O3 at high pressure

Abstract

High-pressure phase transitions in CaRhO3 were examined using a multianvil apparatus up to 27 GPa and 1930 oC. CaRhO3 perovskite transforms to post-perovskite via a monoclinic intermediate phase with increasing pressure. Volume changes for the transitions of perovskite - intermediate phase and of intermediate phase - post-perovskite are -1.1 and -0.7 %, respectively. CaRhO3 post-perovskite is the fourth quenchable post-perovskite oxide found so far. By high-temperature calorimetric experiments, enthalpy of the perovskite - post-perovskite transition in CaRuO3 was measured as 15.23.3 kJ/mol. Combining the datum with those of CaIrO3, it is shown that CaIrO3 perovskite is energetically less stable than CaRuO3 perovskite. This is consistent with the fact that orthorhombic distortion of CaIrO3 perovskite is larger than CaRuO3, as indicated with the tilt-angle of octahedral framework of perovskite structure. The transition pressure from perovskite to post-perovskite in CaBO3 (B Ru, Rh, Ir) increases almost linearly with decreasing the tilt-angle, suggesting that the perovskite - post-perovskite transition may result from instability of the perovskite structure with pressure. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.