Have you ever imagined what happens to matter at high pressures, like inside the Earth’s surface or at the core of the sun? Scientists have discovered that the mounting pressure within stars and planets can cause metals like sodium to transform from a shiny, gray-colored metal into a transparent, glass-like insulator. Fascinating, right?
A recent University at Buffalo-led study has now revealed the chemical bonding behind this particular high-pressure phenomenon. Researchers’ quantum chemical calculations showed that the electrons of these metals are chemically bonded to each other, despite being squeezed out into the spaces between atoms. This is a game-changing discovery that has broad implications for understanding the interiors of stars and planets, as well as how they evolve.
This discovery confirms and builds upon the theoretical predictions of the late renowned physicist Neil Ashcroft, whose memory the study is dedicated to. It was previously believed that materials always become metallic under high pressure, but this groundbreaking work goes beyond that to connect physics with chemical concepts of bonding.
Using supercomputers in UB’s Center for Computational Research, the team ran calculations on how electrons behave in sodium atoms when under high pressure, which revealed that the emergence of the electride state can be explained through chemical bonding. This is a significant step forward in understanding high-pressure behavior of various elements and chemical compounds.
If you’re interested in learning more about this study and its implications, be sure to Read More.
