Transition Element-Like Chemistry for Potassium Under Pressure

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 273; no. 5271; pp. 95 - 97
• Main Authors: Parker, L. J., Atou, T., Badding, J. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 05.07.1996; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Alkali metals; Charge density; Chemicals; Chemistry; Crystalline rocks; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Electronic structure; Electrons; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental petrology; Grade Point Average; Heat; High pressure; High pressure chemistry; Laser heating; Lasers; Metals; Organic Chemistry; Potassium; Potassium (Chemical element); Transition metals; Wave diffraction; experimental studies; core; laser methods; potassium; cesium; alkali metals; rubidium; X-ray diffraction analysis; high pressure; crust
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.273.5271.95

At high pressure the alkali metals potassium, rubidium, and cesium transform to metals that have a d$^1$ electron configuration, becoming transition metal-like. As a result, compounds were shown to form between potassium and the transition metal nickel. These results demonstrate that the chemical behavior of the alkali metals under pressure is very different from that under ambient conditions, where alkali metals and transition metals do not react because of large differences in size and electronic structure. They also have significant implications for the hypothesis that potassium is incorporated into Earth's core.