Post-perovskite transitions in CaB4+O3at high pressure

High-pressure phase transitions in CaRhO 3 were examined using a multianvil apparatus up to 27 GPa and 1930 o C. CaRhO 3 perovskite transforms to post-perovskite via a monoclinic intermediate phase with increasing pressure. Volume changes for the transitions of perovskite – intermediate phase and of intermediate phase – post-perovskite are -1.1 and -0.7 %, respectively. CaRhO 3 post-perovskite is the fourth quenchable post-perovskite oxide found so far. By high-temperature calorimetric experiments, enthalpy of the perovskite – post-perovskite transition in CaRuO 3 was measured as 15.2±3.3 kJ/mol. Combining the datum with those of CaIrO 3 , it is shown that CaIrO 3 perovskite is energetically less stable than CaRuO 3 perovskite. This is consistent with the fact that orthorhombic distortion of CaIrO 3 perovskite is larger than CaRuO 3 , as indicated with the tilt-angle of octahedral framework of perovskite structure. The transition pressure from perovskite to post-perovskite in Ca B O 3 ( B = Ru, Rh, Ir) increases almost linearly with decreasing the tilt-angle, suggesting that the perovskite – post-perovskite transition may result from instability of the perovskite structure with pressure.