Experimental constraints on the phase diagram of elemental zirconium Original Research Article

The phase diagram of zirconium metal has been studied using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and time-of-flight neutron scattering at temperatures and pressures up to 1273 K and 17 GPa. The equilibrium phase boundary of the α–ω transition has a dT/dP slope of 473 K/GPa, and the extrapolated transition pressure at ambient temperature is located at 3.4 GPa. For the ω–β transition, the phase boundary has a negative dT/dP slope of 15.5 K/GPa between 6.4 and 15.3 GPa, which is substantially smaller than a previously reported value of −39±5 K/GPa in the pressure range of 32–35 GPa. This difference indicates a significant curvature of the phase boundary between 15.3 and 35 GPa. The α–ω–β triple point was estimated to be at 4.9 GPa and 953 K, which is comparable to previous results obtained from a differential thermal analysis. Except for the three known crystalline forms, the β phase of zirconium metal was found to possess an extraordinary glass forming ability at pressures between 6.4 and 8.6 GPa. This transformation leads to a limited stability field for the β phase in the pressure range of 6–16 GPa and to complications of high-temperature portion of phase diagram for zirconium metal.