Insulating Nickel at a Pressure of 34 TPa

Abstract

Self-consistent augmented-plane-wave calculations are reported which predict that nickel should transform from a metal to an insulator at a pressure of 34 TPa (∼340 × ${10}^6$ atm), and then revert back to a metal at 51 TPa. These transitions follow from general trends in the evolution of electronic structure under compression and indicate that the richness found in the electronic structure of most solids can persist throughout, and well beyond, the pressure range of current experimental and geophysical interest.