Rhenium diboride's monocrystal elastic constants, 308 to 5 K

J Acoust Soc Am. 2010 May;127(5):2797-801. doi: 10.1121/1.3372629.

Abstract

The five independent moduli required to construct the complete monocrystal elastic modulus tensor of the hexagonal-symmetry superhard compound ReB(2) were measured from 308 to 5 K using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy on a special-texture polycrystal. This is possible because, confirmed by X-ray diffraction, the specimen measured was composed of grains with hexagonal axes parallel so that its polycrystal elastic response is identical to a monocrystal and because hexagonal-symmetry solids are elastically isotropic in the plane perpendicular to the hexagonal axis. Along the hexagonal (c) axis, C(33) (0) = 1021 GPa, nearly equal to C(11) of diamond, and consistent with the superhard properties. However, in the (softer) isotropic plane, C(11) (0) = 671 GPa, much lower than diamond. The changes of C(ij) with temperature are very small and smooth. The Debye temperature was computed to be 738 K, and using a high-temperature approximation, the Grüneisen parameter is γ = 1.7.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Boron Compounds / chemistry*
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Elastic Modulus
  • Hardness
  • Models, Chemical
  • Spectrum Analysis / methods*
  • Temperature*
  • Ultrasonics*

Substances

  • Boron Compounds
  • rhenium diboride