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From: jimk@fab4.UUCP (jimk)
Newsgroups: sci.physics,sci.chem,sci.electronics
Subject: Metallic Hydrogen (was Re: Valence electrons & metalic hydrogen)
Message-ID: <73@fab4.UUCP>
Date: 13 Oct 89 17:32:22 GMT
References: <1017@mgse.UUCP>
Reply-To: jimk@fab4.UUCP (Jim Kendall)
Organization: Fab Four Archive - Liberty Lake, Wa.
Lines: 42

Mark Seiffert writes:
>They question i have is what about Hydrogen. It has one valence
>electron, is Hydrogen gas conductive? If it is, how would you measure
>it? I remember from a long time ago when i used to read a lot there
>was an article in Scientific American 

It's funny you brought this up at this time, as there is another
short article on this subject in the current Sci. Am. 

-----

Some excertps:
Stupendous pressure generated in a nutcracker like device has
apparently turned hydrogen into metal. [Researchers] subjected a 
tiny sample of hydrogen, in an area less than 20 microns wide
to a steady pressure of more than 2.5 MILLION atmospheres in a
press called a diamond-anvil cell.

The transfomation of the hydrogen takes only two or three minutes and
can be seen through a microscope. At first the hydrogen is squeezed
to a transparent solid form that is known to be non-conducting. But
above 2 MILLION atmosphers the solid gradually darkens, indicating
its transition to a semi-conducter.

It is calculated that hydrogen metal will superconduct at temperatures
above the freezing point of carbon dioxide (-79 degrees C).

-----

The article goes on to say that when pressure is released the sample
turns transparent, although they feel that by slowly removing the
pressure the sample will retain its opacity. It also mentions how
the stuff would make excellect rocket fuel.

Cheers!

Jim Kendall
jimkfab4
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