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The discovery of pressure-driven charge amorphization: A new twist in material transformations

The discovery of pressure-driven charge amorphisation: A new twist in material transformations
Schematic phases of bismuth nickelate BiNiO3 at various pressures and temperatures. Credit: National Taiwan University

Researchers have uncovered a surprising phenomenon in the material BiNiO3: when subjected to high pressure at low temperatures, its well-arranged electrical charges are disrupted, leading to a disordered "charge glass" state.

The study is in the journal Nature Communications.

This discovery offers new insights into how materials respond to , potentially paving the way for new advanced materials with unique and useful properties.

BiNiO3, a member of the perovskite oxide family, is known for its distinctive charge distribution and structural arrangement. Under normal conditions, it maintains a specific columnar order of bismuth ions (Bi3+ and Bi5+).

When pressure is increased to 3 gigapascals, this ordered structure begins to "melt," causing charge transfer between bismuth and nickel ions. As the pressure increases further, between 4 and 5 gigapascals and temperatures below 200 Kelvin, this ordered pattern collapses, resulting in a "charge glass" state.

This state is characterized by a random distribution of electrical charges, similar to how certain materials lose their under pressure. Notably, when heated under pressure, BiNiO3 transitions to a metallic state, accompanied by a reduction in volume, a phenomenon known as negative thermal expansion.

Such unusual behavior and phase transitions showcase a unique interplay between pressure, temperature, and .

"These transformations—including charge transfer, charge disproportionation, and charge amorphization—offer new possibilities for designing materials with unusual properties, such as negative thermal expansion, magnetocaloric effect, etc.," said Dr. Wei-Tin Chen, one of the leading authors of the research.

"The ability to manipulate the electrical charge arrangement through pressure and temperature variations could lead to innovations in , sensors, and other technologies that rely on precise control of material properties."

More information: Wei-tin Chen et al, Pressure-induced charge amorphisation in BiNiO3, Nature Communications (2025).

Journal information: Nature Communications

Citation: The discovery of pressure-driven charge amorphization: A new twist in material transformations (2025, March 17) retrieved 2 May 2025 from /news/2025-03-discovery-pressure-driven-amorphization-material.html
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