Radial X-ray diffraction study of the static strength and equation of state of MoB2 to 85 GPa

Investigations of strength and equation of state of alpha-MoB2 have been performed under nonhydrostatic compression up to 85 GPa using an angle-dispersive radial X-ray diffraction (RXD) techniques together with the lattice strain theory in a 2-fold panoramic diamond anvil cell at ambient temperature. The RXD data yields a bulk modulus and its pressure derivative as K-0 = 323(6) GPa with K-0' = 4.59(27). The ratio of t/G is found to remain constant above similar to 44 GPa, indicating that the alpha-MoB2 started to experience yield with plastic deformation at this pressure. Together with theoretical results on high-pressure shear modulus, our results here show that molybdenum diborides sample could support a differential stress of similar to 18 GPa when it started to yield with plastic deformation at similar to 44 GPa under uniaxial compression. A maximum differential stress, as high as similar to 25 GPa can be supported by molybdenum diborides at the high pressure of similar to 85 GPa. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.