A diamond anvil cell (DAC) is a high-pressure device used in geology, engineering, and materials science experiments. It enables the compression of a small (sub-millimeter-sized) piece of material to extreme pressures, typically up to around 100–200 gigapascals, although it is possible to achieve pressures up to 770 gigapascals.
The first diamond anvil cell in the NIST museum at Gaithersburg. Shown in the image above is the part which compresses the central assembly.
Researcher using a diamond anvil cell to study materials under deep Earth conditions.
The phases of ice are all possible states of matter for water as a solid. Currently, 19 phases, including both crystalline and amorphous ice, have been observed at various densities.
The crystal structure of ice XII
An alternative formulation of the phase diagram for certain ices and other phases of water
Crystal structure of ice XVII
Photograph showing details of an ice cube under magnification. Ice Ih is the form of ice commonly seen on Earth.