B-C Bond in Diamond Single Crystal Synthesized with h-BN Additive at High Pressure and High Temperature

The synthesis of diamond single crystal in the Fe64Ni36-C system with h-BN additive is investigated at pressure 6.5 GPa and temperature range of 1300-1400℃. The color of the obtained diamond crystals translates from yellow to dark green with increasing the h-BN addition. Fourier-transform infrared （FTIR） results indicate that sp2 hybridization B-N-B and B-N structures generate when the additive content reaches a certain value in the system. The two peaks are located at 745 and 1425cm-1, respectively. Fhrthermore, the FTIR characteristic peak resulting from nitrogen pairs is noticed and it tends to vanish when the h-BN addition reaches 1.1 wt%. Furthermore, Raman peak of the synthesized diamond shifts down to a lower wavenumber with increasing the h-BN ~ddition content in the synthesis system.

Theoretical design of diamondlike superhard structures at high pressure

Diamond, as the hardest known material, has been widely used in industrial applications as abrasives, coatings, and cutting and polishing tools, but it is restricted by several shortcomings, e.g., its low thermal and chemical stability. Considerable efforts have been devoted to designing or synthesizing the diamond-like B-C-N-O compounds, which exhibit excellent mechanical property. In this paper, we review the recent theoretical design of diamond-like superhard structures at high pressure. In particular, the recently designed high symmetric phase of low-energy cubic BC3 meets the experimental observation, and clarifies the actual existence of cubic symmetric phase for the compounds formed by B-C-N-O system,besides the classical example of cubic boron nitride.

Comparative Study of Magmatism in East Pacific Rise Versus Nearby Seamounts:Constraints on Magma Supply and Thermal Structure Beneath Mid-ocean Ridge

Major elements of 2202 basalts from the East Pacific Rise （EPR） and 888 basalts from near- EPR seamounts are used to investigate their differences in magma crystallization pressures and mantle melting conditions. Crystallization pressure calculation from basalts with 5.0wt%〈MgO〈8.0wt % shows that magma crystallization pressures beneath near-EPR seamounts are positively and negatively correlated with Nas and Fes, respectively. However, these correlations are indistinct in axial lavas, which can be explained by chemical homogenization induced by extensive mixing processes. In each segment divided by major transforms and over-lapping spreading centers （OSCs）, near-EPR seamount lavas have higher magma crystallization pressures, higher Fes and lower Nas than the EPR lavas, which indicate cooler lithosphere, lower degrees and shallower melting depths beneath near-EPR seamounts than the EPR. The correlations between magma crystallization pressures and melting conditions beneath near-EPR seamounts imply that the source thermal state controls the melting degree and melt flux, and then melting process controls the shallow lithosphere temperature and magma crystallization depth （pressure）. The cooler mantle sources beneath near-EPR seamounts produce a lower degree of melting and a less robust magma supply, which results in a deep thermal equilibrium level and high magma crystallization pressure. The magma crystallization pressure decreases significantly as spreading rate of the EPR increases from ~80 mm/year in the north （16~N） to ~160 mm/year in the south （19~S）, while this trend is unobvious in near-EPR seamounts. This suggests that the magma supply controlled by spreading rate dominates the ridge crust temperature and magma crystallization depth, while the near-EPR seamount magma supply is not dominated by the axial spreading rate. Because most seamounts form and gain most of their volume within a narrow zone of 5-15 km from ridge axis, they provide good constraint on magma supply and thermal structure beneath the EPR. High magma crystallization pressures in seamounts indicate dramatic temperature decrease from the EPR. The crystallization pressures of seamount lavas are well correlated with mantle melting parameters but in a blurry relationship with axial spreading rate. Despite the adjacency of the EPR and nearby seamounts, the thermal structure beneath the near-EPR seamounts are controlled by their own magma supply and conductive cooling, chemically and thermally unaffected by magmatism beneath the ridge axis.

Petrology and geochemistry of South Mid-Atlantic Ridge(19°S) lava flows:Implications for magmatic processes and possible plume-ridge interactions

The South Mid-Atlantic Ridge(SMAR)19°S segment,approximately located along the line of Saint Helena volcanic chain(created by Saint Helena mantle plume),is an ideal place to investigate the issue whether the ridgehotpot interaction process affected the whole MAR.In this study,we present major and trace elemental compositions and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic ratios of twenty fresh lava samples concentrated in a relatively small area in the SMAR 19°S segment.Major oxides compositions show that all samples are tholeiite.Low contents of compatible trace elements(e.g.,Ni=239-594 ppm and Cr=456-1010 ppm)and low Fe/Mn(54-67)and Ce/Yb(0.65-1.5)ratios of these lavas show that their parental magmas are partially melted by a spinel lherzolite mantle source.Using software PRIMELT3,this study obtained mantle potential temperatures(Tp)beneath the segment of1321-1348℃,which is lower relative to those ridges influenced by mantle plumes.The asthenospheric mantle beneath the SMAR 19°S segment starts melting at a depth of^63 km and ceases melting at^43 km with a final melting temperature of^1265℃.The extent of partial melting is up to 16%-17.6%with an average adiabatic decompression value of 2.6%/kbar.The correlations of major oxides(CaO/Al2 O3)and trace elements(Cr,Co,V)with MgO and Zr show that the parental magma experienced olivine and plagioclase fractional crystallization during its ascent to the surface.87Sr/86Sr(0.702398-0.702996),143 Nd/144 Nd(0.513017-0.513177)and 206Pb/204Pb(18.444-19.477)ratios of these lavas indicate the mantle source beneath the SMAR 19°S segment is composed of a three-component mixture of depleted MORB mantle,PREMA mantle,and HIMU mantle materials.The simple,binary mixing results among components from plume-free SMAR MORB,Saint Helena plume and Tristan plume show that asthenospheric mantle beneath the SMAR 19°S segment may be polluted by both Saint Helena and Tristan plume enriched materials.The abovementioned mantle potential temperatures,together with the low Saint Helena(<10%)and Tristan(<5%)components remaining in the asthenospheric mantle at present,show that the physically ridge-hotspot interactions at SMAR 19°S segment may have ceased.However,the trace element and SrNd-Pb isotopically binary mixing calculation results imply that these lavas tapped some enriched pockets left when Saint Helena and/or Tristan plume were once on the SMAR during earlier Atlantic rifted history.

Equilibrium between Clinopyroxene and Host Rocks:Implication for the Magmatic Source and Evolution of Alkali Basalts of the Taohekou Formation in the Northern Daba Mountains,China

The Taohekou Formation is a volcanic-sedimentary terrane formed in the early Silurian in the northern Daba Mountains, China. The volcanic rocks, with dominant alkali basalts and minor mantle xenoliths, are enriched in clinopyroxene phenocrysts. Geochemical analysis shows that the composition of clinopyroxenes from different lithofacies has a close affinity. There is a liner correlation present in composition of clinopyroxenes （including phenocryst, microcrystal and xenocryst） from coarse porphyritic basalts, pillow or fine porphyritic basalts to amygdaloidal basalts. All the cllnopyroxenes, except the clinopyroxenes in mantle xenoliths, show a similar pattern of trace elements and REE, which indicates that they are likely products of successive fractional crystallization from cognate magma. Clinopyroxenes in mantle xenoliths, however, are mantle xenocrysts. The crystallization pressure of clinopyroxenes gradually decreases from mantle xenolith, deep-seated xenocryst, coarse porphritic basalts, pillow or fine porphritic basalts, to amygdaloidal basalts, which are 1.92-4.41 GPa, 1.18-2.36 GPa, 1.13-2.05 GPa, 0.44-0.62 GPa and 0.14-0.28 GPa respectively. Calculation results suggest that the primary magma originated from a mantle region deeper than 68 km and stagnates in intervals of 37-68 kin, 15-20 km and 5-9 km during its ascent. The alkali basalts are characterized by increasing concentrations of Si and alkaline with the magmatic evolution. Meanwhile, they are markedly enriched in LREE, and the patterns of trace elements and REE are similar to those of oceanic island basalts.

Cu-10Sn-4Ni-3Pb Alloy Prepared by Crystallization Under Pressure: An Experimental Study

The wear-resistant tin bronze （Cu-10Sn-4Ni-3Pb） with tin content above 8 wt.% prepared by traditional melting and casting process usually defects such as low density, poor properties and segregations. The crystallization under pressure processing of Cu-10Sn-4Ni-3Pb alloy was investigated. The microstructures were observed and analyzed and compared with that by traditional melting and casting process. The results show that the dendrite has obviously disappeared and the dendritic segregation alleviated by using the crystallization under 680 MPa pressure process, in comparison with the remarkably dendrite microstructure and severe as-cast defects of alloy prepared by traditional melting and casting technology. Based on the experimental study, the properties and microstructures of Cu-10Sn-4Ni-3Pb tin bronze prepared by crystallization under pressure have been improved significantly.