Transition Metal-Hydrogen Systems at High Pressures

Condensed Matter lunchtime seminar

Transition Metal-Hydrogen Systems at High Pressures

  • Event time: 1:00pm
  • Event date: 13th June 2011
  • Speaker: Thomas Scheler (Formerly School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

Metal hydrides have attracted considerable interest in the recent past because of their use in industrial applications and for their importance to fundamental sciences. Most metals form hydrides, some exhibiting unusual properties like extreme hardness, superior optical properties or superconductivity. The noble metals on the other hand are known and valued for their chemical inertness and therefore absence of hydride phases. Therefore, the recent discovery of the formation of binary platinum hydride came as a surprise to the material sciences community and showed the importance of taking into account possible chemical reactions that are often neglected in high-pressure experiments. In this presentation our results on the synthesis of novel metal-hydride phases of platinum and tungsten are presented and their properties are discussed and compared to other known metal hydrides.

About Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars

This is a weekly series of informal talks given primarily by members of the institute of condensed matter and complex systems, but is also open to members of other groups and external visitors. The aim of the series is to promote discussion and learning of various topics at a level suitable to the broad background of the group. Everyone is welcome to attend..

Find out more about Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars.