Completion of Strand 1:
A range of defective stishovite samples with varying amounts of Al, Fe, Ti and H2O were synthesised at beamline ID06-LVP, ESRF at 15-32 GPa and ~1200-1400 ºC from glasses, using a 10/5, 10/4 and 7/3 multianvil assemblies.
Recovered samples were examined by optical microscope, SEM at ESRF, and EPMA at ISTerre, UGA, France. Samples were double-polished for SMS at ID18 (now ID14), ESRF.
Completion of Strand 2:
Stishovites recovered from Strand 1 were double-polished (~0.5 mm thick) for these measurements. Combined in-situ X-ray diffraction and ultrasonic interferometry, using 10/4 and 7/3 geometries, were successfully conducted at ID06-LVP to ~ 32 GPa and 1800 K.
Deviations and limitations of Strand 1 & 2:
The recovered stishovites exhibited a very small grain size. This resulted in the inability to apply H2O measurements using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. Some Fe³⁺/ΣFe determinations of the samples were successfully conducted during the course of the project, with the use of allocated beamtime at ID18, but will be improved with access to the new ID14.
Exploitation and dissemination of the results:
The findings of this study have thus far been disseminated to the scientific community at large, at six international conferences, comprising five oral presentations and one poster presentation.
The outcomes of this study were presented at the International Diamond School, Italy, in 2023, as well as in the context of four formal meetings as three oral presentations held at the ESRF (2021, 2022 and 2023). These meetings included presentations given at the ID06-LVP Beamline Review (2021), and at the Matter at Extremes Group Day Out (2022, 2023).
Publications without peer-reviewed conference proceedings: Conference abstracts in conjugation with an oral presentation (=11) or a poster presentations (=1)
Communication activities:
The outcomes of this research were also transmitted to the scientific community and community at large, particular at beamline ID06-LVP and also at beamline ID18 (now ID14), ESRF. At these facilities, numerous research user groups from diverse scientific disciplines, including crystallography, mineral physics, geosciences, physics, chemistry, and medicine, conduct studies during allocated beamtime. In light of the recent developments in combined in-situ X-ray diffraction, imaging and pulse-echo ultrasonic high-pressure experimentation using the large volume press at the ID06-beamline, key advances and achievements of the course of the researcher’s project were constantly undertaken with the aim of raising awareness of the research undertaken, in a similar manner to that which has been done during the aforementioned international conferences and other formal meetings. This resulted in the formation of new collaborations and the fostering of ongoing ones, as well as the attraction of new research user groups to the ID06 and ID14/ID18 beamlines.
