Physicists synthesize iron in the form found in Earth's core
Image Credit: chemistry world
Researchers at CEA DAM-DIF and Université Paris-Saclay have achieved a significant breakthrough by successfully synthesizing single-crystalline ε-Fe or epsilon iron, a form of iron believed to exist in Earth's core. Epsilon iron is basically a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) phase of the metal, stable only at extremely high pressure. The development could greatly enhance our understanding of the structure and composition of our planet's core.