Paris-Edinburgh cell

Figure 13 Paris-Edinburgh cell used for high-pressure neutron powder diffraction experiments. On the right neutron time-of-flight data of the high-pressure monoclinic form of cristobalite are shown...

Fig. 3.16 A cross section of the toroidal anvil arrangement used in the Paris-Edinburgh cell (1) sample ( 100 mm ), (2) gaskets (null-scattering Ti-Zr alloy), (3) tungsten-carbide anvils, (4) tungsten-carbide seats, (5) steel binding rings, (6) hole for the incident neutron beam, (7) recess at the back of the anvils to reduce absorption, (a) cadmium plating, (e) transmitted neutron beam, (di, dj) diffracted neutron beams, and (i) incident neutron beam.

For powder samples, the compressed volume will contain the sample, a cali-brant (NaCl) and a pressure medium, such as Fluorinert, to provide homogeneous—if not hydrostatic-strain conditions. Paris-Edinburgh cells can be loaded with samples which are liquids (Et20), or condensable gases (NH3 or... 

The behaviors of materials under applied pressure are also readily studied by powder methods. Using small-volume diamond anvil cells most suitable for x-ray work, pressures of several hundred GPa at temperatures up to several thousand K can be achieved.Larger volumes of samples can be studied by neutron techniques using gas-pressure cells (up to " 1 GPa on several of sample) or more sophisticated designs such as the Paris-Edinburgh design cell (up to 30 GPa/370 K on 30 mm ). Such studies have revealed a wealth of important structural chemistry in a variety of molecular systems. 

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