A ROCKING MULTIANVIL: ELIMINATION OF CHEMICAL SEGREGATION IN FLUID-SATURATED HIGH-PRESSURE EXPERIMENTS

Abstract

Fluid saturated high-pressure experiments often result in strongly zoned experimental charges, this hinders experimentation in chemically homogeneous systems which in turn has serious consequences on equilibration, reaction progress, and (apparent) phase stabilities. In order to overcome these problems, a 600-ton press accommodating either a multianvil or end-loaded piston cylinder module has been mounted in such a way that it can be turned by 180°, thus inverting its position in the gravity field. During turning, hydraulic pressure, heating power, and cooling water remain connected allowing fully controlled pressures and temperatures during experiments.