Figure 8

Schematic representation of densification mechanism and corresponding structural moieties in liquid AuGa2. Amorphous solid (a) includes GaAu4 tetrahedral units connected to each other via Au-Au bonding and to AuGa8 polyhedral units via Au-Ga bonding. Densification is dominated by large inward shifting of the second- and higher coordination shells under pressure (b). Melt-AuGa2 obtained at highest pressure shows higher order polyhedral units, 5 and 9 coordination around Ga and Au atoms, respectively (c).