High-pressure metallization and electronic-magnetic properties of hexagonal cubanite (CuFe2S3)

G. Kh Rozenberg, M. P. Pasternak, G. R. Hearne, C. A. McCammon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

57Fe Mössbauer studies at room temperature and temperature-dependent resistance studies have been performed on a natural specimen of cubanite (CuFe2S3) in a diamond-anvil cell at pressures up to ∼ 10 GPa. An insulator-metal phase transition occurs in the range 3.4-5.8 GPa coinciding with a previously observed structural transition from an orthorhombic to a hexagonal NiAs (B8) structure. The room temperature data shows that the metallization process concurs with a gradual transition from a magnetically ordered phase at low pressure to a nonmagnetic or paramagnetic phase at high-pressure. The change in magnetic behaviour at the structural transition may be attributed to a reduction of the Fe-S-Fe superexchange angle formed by edge-sharing octahedra occurring in the high-pressure phase. The non-magnetic or paramagnetic metallic phase at high pressure is retained upon decompression to ambient pressure-temperature conditions, indicative of substantial hysteresis associated with the pressure driven orthorhombic→hexagonal structural transition. The pressure evolution of both the 57Fe Mössbauer hyperfine interaction parameters and resistance behaviour is consistent with the transition from mixed-valence character in the low pressure orthorhombic structure to that of extended-electron delocalization in the hexagonal phase at high-pressure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)569-573
Number of pages5
JournalPhysics and Chemistry of Minerals
Volume24
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 1997
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Materials Science
  • Geochemistry and Petrology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'High-pressure metallization and electronic-magnetic properties of hexagonal cubanite (CuFe2S3)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this