Crystal grain growth during phase transformation in cerium metal at high pressure

Crystal structures and orientation effects in cerium (Ce) metal were investigated in the pressure range of 028 GPa by high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction using image plate technique with a diamond-anvil cell. We observe crystal grain growth during the phase transformations to -uranium structure both during compression and decompression cycle. We offer explanation for the long-standing controversy on the intermediate phases and attribute various crystal structure proposals to low-resolution and orientation effects. This crystal grain growth during phase transformation in Ce at high pressure and ambient temperature is an unusual phenomenon among metals.