In situ Raman spectroscopic study of the pressure induced structural changes in ammonia borane

The effect of static compression up to 65 GPa at ambient temperature on ammonia borane.. BH3NH3, has been investigated using in situ Raman spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cells. Two phase transitions were observed at approximately 12 GPa and previously not reported transition at 27 GPa. It was demonstrated that ammonia borane behaves differently under compression at quasi-hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic conditions. The ability of BH3NH3 to generate second harmonic of the laser light observed up to 130 GPa suggests that the non-centrosymmetric point group symmetry is preserved in the material up to very high pressures. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4746074]