We investigate the binary phase diagram of helium and iron using first-principles calculations. We find that helium, which is a noble gas and inert at ambient conditions, forms stable crystalline compounds with iron at terapascal pressures. A FeHe compound becomes stable above 4 TPa, and a FeHe2 compound above 12 TPa. Melting is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations, and a superionic phase with sublattice melting of the helium atoms is predicted. We discuss the implications of our predicted helium-iron phase diagram for interiors of giant (exo)planets and white dwarf stars.
@article{arxiv.1806.03017,
title = {Helium-iron compounds at terapascal pressures},
author = {Bartomeu Monserrat and Miguel Martinez-Canales and Richard J. Needs and Chris J. Pickard},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1806.03017},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
5 pages, 3 figures, includes Supplemental Material