Synthesis of FeH 5 : A layered structure with atomic hydrogen slabs

Abstract

Atomic hydrogen with an iron assist Metal polyhydrides can be used at lower pressures to make material that might have atomic hydrogen bonding. Pépin et al. manage to synthesize an incredibly hydrogen-rich FeH 5 compound at 130 GPa pressure. The material consists of slabs of four thin planes of atomic hydrogen intercalated with layers of quasicubic FeH 3 units. These metal polyhydrides were stable at far more accessible pressures than pure hydrogen. This achievement provides an opportunity to investigate special electrical properties expected from atomic hydrogen bonding, such as superconductivity. Science , this issue p. 382