Chemistry: Chemistry under Pressure with Professor Paul McMillan from University College London

The talk starts with “what we know, what we teach” about bonding, periodic table etc. But all these “chemical rules” are established at around atmospheric pressure, at the surface of our planet. But what happens at extremely high pressure, deep inside planets and stars?

Professor Paul McMillan will then present a short “history” of high pressure experiments: Boyle’s law and Percy Bridgman: then formation of diamonds inside the Earth, and in the laboratory using “big rigs” to achieve the high pressure conditions.

By the time we are at 1 million atmospheres or so, the stable phase of sodium chloride is no longer NaCl : it is one of Na3Cl, Na2Cl, Na3Cl2, NaCl3 etc …..   Magnesium oxide has become MgO2 or Mg3O2. The same is emerging for other “simple” compounds that are well known at ambient pressure. It gets even more interesting, when we reach the pressures inside stars or some of the giant exoplanets.

Professor McMillan will discuss what happens to “chemistry” and “ideal” chemical compositions at these high pressures. He will introduce students to a new realm of chemistry, under extreme pressure conditions.

During the session Professor McMillan will also be able to talk to students about studying at UCL and, more generally, in London if students wish to explore this.

Suitable for: Year 12 Most Able students. This lecture is of relevance to students studying Sciences.

Preparation/Pre-reading: There is no pre-reading or preparation required for this session. Students may like to consider questions surrounding the subject matter and studying this at university.

Lecturer Profile: Professor Paul McMillan

The IT Setup: The setup is similar to Skype, using a pc and webcam, although students take part as a group with the image projected on a whiteboard rather than as individuals in front of lots of pcs. Dedicated videoconferencing equipment is also compatible if available to the school. We will work with your IT department to ensure everything is set up and working prior to the event. The sessions are generally limited to 3 or 4 schools to maintain the interactive nature of the experience.

Booking a Place: If you have a group that you would like to take part in this event, please contact us via email or by using the contact form on the right of this page. We will book your place subject to availability.