SBIR PHASE I: Supercell for Achieving Very High Static Pressures and Temperatures in Relatively Large Working Volumes

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将为传统热压设备开发一种新的高压/高温(HPHT)电池，该电池将能够在相对较大的工作量下实现非常高的静态压力和温度。这种被称为“超级电池”的新装置将在1mm3的工作体积内实现高达30 Gpa的压力和高达约5000摄氏度的温度。相比之下，传统的金刚石顶压室在工作体积仅为~1mm3的情况下可以达到~30 Gpa的压力，温度限制在400摄氏度左右。因此，超级细胞将具有处理超越当今系统的材料的能力。利用超晶胞巨大的压力/温度/体积范围，应该有可能获得从液态碳结晶钻石所需的非常高的压力和非常高的温度，并使研究碳态(相)图的未知区域成为可能。液态碳的高温高压晶化提供了生产纳米、微晶或单晶钻石的机会，这取决于从液态的冷却速度，同时也为掺入硼和/或氮的钻石开辟了新的可能性。如果该项目成功，将能够生产纯和掺杂的纳米、微晶和单晶钻石，并将促进钻石工业和钻头刀片的生产。这项技术对大学实验室也具有重要的潜力。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a new high pressure/high temperature (HPHT) cell for conventional hot pressing units, which will be capable of achieving very high static pressures and temperatures in relatively large working volumes. This new unit, which is called a 'supercell', will enable pressures up to 30 GPa and temperatures up to ~5000C in a working volume of 1 mm3. In contrast, a conventional diamond anvil cell can attain pressures of ~30 GPa in a working volume of only ~1 mm3, with temperatures limited to about 400C. Thus, the supercell will have capabilities for processing materials that reach beyond those of today's systems. Utilizing the significant pressure/temperature/volume range of the supercell, it should be possible to obtain the very high pressure and very high temperature needed for crystallization of diamond from liquid carbon, and make possible the study of unknown regions of the carbon state (phase) diagram. HPHT crystallization of diamond from liquid carbon provides an opportunity to produce nanocrystalline, microcrystalline, or monocrystalline diamond, depending on the cooling rate from the liquid state, as well as opening new possibilities for doping diamond with boron and/or nitrogen.This project, if successful, will enable manufacture of pure and doped nanocrystalline, microcrystalline and monocrystalline diamonds, and will facilitate the production of advanced anvils for the diamond industry as well as for production of inserts for drill bits. The technology also has important potential for university laboratories.