Equation of state and thermal stability of Al3BC

The lattice parameters of Al3BC have been measured up to 5 GPa at ambient temperature using energy-dispersive X-ray powder diffraction with synchrotron radiation. A fit to the experimental p–V data using Birch–Murnaghan equation of state gives values of the Al3BC bulk modulus 116(4) GPa and its first pressure derivative 9(2). In the 1.6–4.8 GPa range at temperatures above 1700 K Al3BC undergoes incongruent melting that results in the formation of Al3BC3, AlB2 and liquid aluminum.