Phase boundary between Na–Si clathrates of structures I and II at high pressures and high temperatures

International audienceUnderstanding of the covalent clathrate formation is a crucial point for the design of new superhard materials with intrinsic coupling of superhardness and metallic conductivity. It has been found that silicon clathrates have the archetype structures, which can serve an existent model compounds for superhard clathrate frameworks Si–B, Si–C, B–C and C with intercalated atoms (e.g., alkali metals or even halogens) that can assure the metallic properties. Here we report our in situ and ex situ studies of high-pressure formation and stability of clathrates Na8Si46 (structure I) and Na24+x Si136 (structure II). Experiments have been performed using standard Paris–Edinburgh cells (opposite anvils) up to 6 GPa and 1500 K. We have established that chemical interactions in the Na–Si system and transition between two structures of clathrates occur at temperatures below silicon melting. The strong sensitivity of crystallization products to the sodium concentration has been observed. A tentative diagram of clathrate transformations has been proposed. At least up to ~6 GPa, Na24+x Si136 (structure II) is stable at lower temperatures as compared to Na8Si46 (structure I)