Phase Diagram of Bismuth at Low Temperatures

The phase diagram of bismuth has been studied from 4.2° to 300°K at pressures up to 50 kbar. Pressure was generated using a piston-cylinder apparatus with AgCl as the pressure transmitting medium. Phase transitions were detected by observing the accompanying discontinuities in electrical resistance. The phase diagram thus determined is in fair agreement with previously published results of other authors. However, the new low-temperature phase of bismuth reported by Il'ina and Itskevich was not observed.