High pressure phase transformations in yttrium and scandium: Relation to rare earths and actinides crystal structures

The phase transformations in the 4d transition metal yttrium (Y) and the 3d transition metal scandium (Sc) have been studied under pressures up to 45 GPa by energy dispersive X-ray diffraction. The metal Y shows the complete rare earth crystal structure sequence i.e. hcp→Sm-type→dhcp→fcc with increasing pressure. This establishes experimentally the similarity of Y with heavy lanthanides, and that the rare earth crystal structure sequence is driven by s→d transfer without any significant contribution from 4f electrons. The metal Sc does not undergo the rare earth crystal structure sequence with pressure but shows above 20 GPa β-Neptunium (Np) structure (tetragonal, 4 atoms/cell). This structure remains stable up to the highest pressure of 45 GPa. The occurence of the high temperature β-Np structure in trivalent Sc combined with large thermal expansions of Np and plutonium (Pu) suggest that itinerant 5f electrons become localized at high temperature in Np and Pu close to melting. This Mott transition with temperature is similar to the one observed between Pu and americium (Am).