High pressure electrical resistance cell, and calibration points above 100 kilobars

Abstract

A high pressure electrical cell is described consisting of tapered Carboloy pistons supported by a pyrophyllite pellet. The pistons are heavily work hardened. A calibration is obtained based on the barium transition at 59 kb, the bismuth transition at 90 kb, and an extrapolation of Bridgman's data. The pressure range is to 500 kb under favorable circumstances. New fixed points include a discontinuous rise in resistance of lead at 161 kb, a discontinuous rise in resistance of barium at 147 kb, a discontinuous rise in the resistance of rubidium at 193 kb, a maximum in the resistance of calcium at 370-75 kb, and a maximum in the resistance of rubidium at 425 kb. In addition, there is a discontinuous rise in resistance of iron at 133 kb which is consistent with the shock wave pressure point found at 131 kb and 37°C. © 1961 The American Institute of Physics.