Phase separation of lanthanum hydride under high pressure

Structural change of lanthanum dihydride LaH(2.3), which has a face-centered-cubic (fcc) metal lattice with tetrahedral interstitial sites fully occupied with hydrogen atoms and partially occupied octahedral sites, has been investigated at high pressures up to 20 GPa at ambient temperature by synchrotron radiation x-ray diffraction. Additional Bragg reflections appear just on higher angle sides of the original ones at similar to 11 GPa and their peak intensities increase gradually on further compression. The coexistence state of two fcc metal lattices thus observed above 11 GPa is interpreted in terms of phase separation or disproportionation reaction from the dihydride toward a solid solution and trihydride states, in both of which the octahedral interstitial sites are partially occupied with hydrogen atoms. A gradual distortion from the cubic to a tetragonal lattice is observed prior to the phase separation. The coexistence phase goes back to the dihydride fcc phase via the lattice distorted phase with decreasing pressure.