Nonmagnetic piston-cylinder pressure cell for use at 35 kbar and above

Review of Scientific Instruments

Volumn 70, Issue 8, 1999, Pages 3402-3412

  Walker, I R ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE   (United Kingdom)

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 0001409309     PISSN: 00346748     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1063/1.1149927     Document Type: Article

References (35)

1. A. Lavergne and E. Whalley, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 49, 923 (1978). Bridgman was able to reach pressures of about 40 kbar some 64 years ago using simple piston-cylinder cells, but (apparently unlike Lavergne and Whalley) not with reliability, because of the low quality of the steels that were available at that time, see also P. W. Bridgman, Phys. Rev. 48, 893 (1935).
2. A. Lavergne and E. Whalley, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 49, 923 (1978). Bridgman was able to reach pressures of about 40 kbar some 64 years ago using simple piston-cylinder cells, but (apparently unlike Lavergne and Whalley) not with reliability, because of the low quality of the steels that were available at that time, see also P. W. Bridgman, Phys. Rev. 48, 893 (1935).
3. R. Delaplace, G. Malfait, and D. Jérome, Rev. Phys. Appl. 11, 327 (1976) (in French).
4. H. Fujiwara, H. Kadomatsu, and K. Tohma, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 51, 1345 (1980).
5. M. I. Eremets and A. N. Utjuzh, in High-Pressure Science and Technology, edited by S. C. Schmidt, J. W. Shaner, G. A. Samara, and M. Ross (AIP, New York, 1993), pp. 1597-1600.
6. W. F. Sherman and A. A. Stadtmuller, Experimental Techniques in High-Pressure Research (Wiley, New York, 1987), p. 403.
7. A discussion of the effect of crystal structure on the cryogenic mechanical properties of metals can be found in Materials at Low Temperatures, edited by R. P. Reed and A. F. Clark (American Society for Metals, Metals Park, OH, 1983).
8. Cryogenic Materials Data Handbook (U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards Washington, DC) Excerpts concerning the behavior of beryllium-copper are available from: Brush Wellman Inc., 17876 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, 44110.
9. Information from Teledyne Allvac/Vasco; P.O. Box 5030, Monroe, NC 28110-0531.
10. R. L. Tobler, R. P. Reed, and R. E. Schramm, J. Eng. Mater. Technol. 100, 189(1978).
11. The room temperature fracture toughness is given by S. Floreen, in Metals Handbook, 9th ed. (American Society for Metals, Metals Park, OH, 1980), Vol. 1, p. 449.
12. V. I. Sokolenko, Y. D. Starodubov, V. K. Aksenov, V. M. Gorbatenko, and V. S. Okovit, Adv. Cryog. Eng. 36, 1355 (1990). This particular maraging steel, with a composition 13.67% Co, 9.03% Cr, 6.80% Ni, 3.63% Mo, 1.29% Cu, 0.68% Si, 0.43% Mn, 0.14% V, and balance Fe is probably a Russian type.
13. See, for example: M. I. Eremets, High Pressure Experimental Methods (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996), pp. 206 and 365.
14. Precision Alloys, edited by B. V. Motovilov (Metallurgiya, Moscow, 1983), pp. 280, 282, 259, 267, and 271 (In Russian).
15. (a) V. K. Orlov (private communication).
16. (b) P. J. Kujawiński and R. A. Stradling, High Press. Res. 5, 883 (1990).
17. Information and material from: Timken Latrobe Steel Company, 2626 Ligonier St., P.O. Box 31, Latrobe, PA 15650-0031. Another manufacturer of MP35N is: Carpenter Technology Corporation; P.O. Box 14662, Reading, PA 19612-4662. Internet: www.cartech.com
18. Throughout the rest of this article, references to "AMS 5844E material" or just "AMS 5844E" denote MP35N rod which satisfies the AMS 5844E specification (as set down by the Society of Automotive Engineers). When MP35N alloy in general (which may or may not satisfy the AMS 5844E requirement) is being discussed, it is just referred to as "MP35N." The UNS number of MP35N is R30035.
19. B. Fultz, A. DuBois, H. J. Kim, and J. W. Morris, Jr., Cryogenics 24, 687 (1984).
20. Sandvik Hard Materials Inc.; 1702 Nevins Road, Fair Lawn, NJ, 07410. Internet:http://www.sandvik.com
21. This material is a 6% Ni, 94% WC by weight grade which is designated "NF," and is available from: Hoybide Ltd., Picts Lane, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, U.K. HP27 9EA.
22. Erasteel (U.K.) Limited, 371 Coleford Road, Darnall, Sheffield, S9 5NF U.K.
23. The epoxy is: Stycast 2850 FT, made by Emerson & Cuming. We use the number 11 catalyst. Although the use of this catalyst requires an elevated temperature cure, it leads to an epoxy which is considerably stronger than that produced by other catalysts (namely Nos. 9 and 24 LV) and has a lower thermal expansion coefficient. The uncured epoxy which results from the use of No. 11 catalyst also has a very long pot life (4 hs), which makes it easy to ensure that the epoxy has been outgassed properly and the feedthrough has been assembled correctly before the epoxy starts to harden. The address of Emerson & Cuming is 869 Washington Street, Canton, MA 02021.
24. This figure is based on two sets of data provided by Emerson & Cuming for Stycast 2850FT epoxy which has been cured with No. 11 catalyst. In one (old) set, instructions for preparing the epoxy do not include vacuum degassing. In the other (new) set, such instructions are included. The old set of data lists a compressive strength of 16 500 psi, while the new one gives a value of 27 900 psi.
25. It is possible to treat the surface of Teflon so that it will bond to epoxy and other adhesives. One way of doing this (which is probably the simplest) is to use a liquid called "Tetra-Etch." This is available from W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.; 551 Paper Mill Road, Newark, DE 19711. Internet:http://www.gore.com
26. Note that acetone will attack some insulations.
27. Stycast 2741 is made by Emerson & Cuming.
28. This product is made by: General Electric Company; Silicone Products Division; RTV Products Department; Waterford, NY 12188.
29. F. P. Bowden and D. Tabor, The Friction and Lubrication of Solids (Clarendon, Oxford, 1954), p. 175. The authors state: "...over a wide range of surface finish, the friction of metals is nearly independent of the degree of surface roughness."
30. L. H. Lee, Frictional Properties of Polymers, in Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 3, edited by M. B. Bever (Pergamon, New York, 1986), p. 1877; see also R. D. Arnell and D. G. Teer, in Principles of Tribology, edited by J. Hailing (MacMillan, New York, 1975), p. 140.
31. L. H. Lee, Frictional Properties of Polymers, in Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 3, edited by M. B. Bever (Pergamon, New York, 1986), p. 1877; see also R. D. Arnell and D. G. Teer, in Principles of Tribology, edited by J. Hailing (MacMillan, New York, 1975), p. 140.
32. One might argue that it would be pointless to use a lubricant anyway, since Teflon is itself an excellent "solid lubricant." However, at the pressures under consideration here, the lubricating properties of Teflon are (unlike those of, for example, molybdenum disulphide) very poor. This is probably largely due to the enormous increase in the shear strength of Teflon which occurs when it is exposed to pressures of more than a few kbar (see Ref. 5, page 147).
33. Felt polishing wheels which are available for "Dremel drills" are generally too large to fit in the bore of the cell. To reduce them to an appropriate size, the wheel is mounted in the drill, spun at a high speed, and abraded with a clean file. We obtain our wheels from Southerns, Precista House, 48-56 High St., Orpington, Kent, BR6 0JH, U.K. (part No. 914363).
34. A. Eiling and J. S. Schilling, J. Phys. F 11, 623 (1981).
35. T. F. Smith, C. W. Chu, and M. B. Maple, Cryogenics 9, 53 (1969). We use the calibration curve given by Eq. (2) of this article.